his death doth pant This yong man followeth her in that stound And as a wanton Lambe full ignorant How he is pulled and drawen to be bound Vnto the time he hath his deaths wound And like a bird that hasteth to the grin Not knowing the perill of his life therein Now gentle sonne saith Salomon take hede My words in thy breast keepe and make fast Let her not thy mind in her waies mislede Be not deceiued lese not thy tast Many hath she wounded many doune cast Many strong by her hath lost their breath Her waies waies of hell leading to death And in this little narration precedent The womans manifold gilt I attend The yong man alas how she hath shent Deceiued her husband her own next friend In these both her God she doth offend To break her spousail to her is of no weight Furdermore to shew womans craft sleight A woman at her dore sate on a stall To see folke passe by streets of the cite With eye and countenance eke she gan call If there be any prety one come nere to me Come hither ye piggesnye ye little babe At last she said to a yong man hartlesse Of her deceit vnware and defencelesse * Much sweeter she saith more acceptable Is drinke when it is stollen priuely Tha when it is taken in forme auowable Bread hid and gotten jeoperdously Must needs be sweet and semblably * Venison stolne is aye the sweeter The ferther the narrower fet the better And whom this woman saith Salom. festes The yong man woteth not whom she doth fede Of the dark deepnesse of hell ben her ghests Beware yong man therefore I thee rede And how be it cheefly for thy good spede This werk to compile I haue take in charge I must of pity my charity enlarge With the selie man which is thus begiled Her husband I mean I woll wepe and waile His painfull infortune whereby reuiled Causelesse he is neuer to conuaile Euery man yong and old woll him assaile With words of occasion with the loth name And alas good soule he nothing to blame But she that coud so ill do and wold Hers be the blame for her demerite And leaue that opprobrous name cokold To aproper to him as in dispite Ransake yet we would if we might Of this worde the true Ortographie The very discent and Ethimologie The well and ground of the first inuencion To know the ortographie we must deriue Which is coke and cold in composicion By reason as nigh as I can contriue Then how it is written we know beliue But yet lo by what reason and ground Was it of these two wordes compound As of one cause to giue very judgement Themilogie let vs first behold Eche letter an hole word doth represent As C put for colde and O for old K is for knaue thus diuers men hold The first parte of this name we haue found Let vs ethimologise the second As the first finder ment I am sure C for calot for of we haue O L for leude O for demeanure The craft of the enuentour ye may see lo How one name signifieth persones two A colde old knaue cokold himselfe wening And eke a calot of leude demeaning The second cause of thimposicion Of this foresaid name of jealousie To be jelouse is greatest occasion To be cokold that men can aspie And though the passion be very firie And of continuell feruence and heete The pacient aye suffreth cold on his feete And who that is jelous and aye in a drede Is full of Melancolie and gallie ire His wiues nose if she misse trede He woll cut off ye and conspire His death who that woll her desire Which she perceiuing brasteth his gall And anone his great woodnesse doth fall As soone as she hath knit him that knot Now is he tame that was so ramagious Mekely sitteth he doune and taketh his lot Layed been now his lookes so furious And he but late as a cocke bataylous Hote in his quarell to auenge him bold Now is he called both coke and cold This saying to all curtesie dissonant Which seemeth that it of malice grewe In this rude treatise I woll not plant As parcell thereof but onely to shewe The opinion of the talcatife shrewe * Which in ill saying is euer merie No man as I thereof so werie But I as parcell of this my booke Woll graffe in some sad counsaile whereby The wedded man if he daigne to looke In it the better shall mowe him gie And prouide for his said infortunie Which as I haue said with him complaine I woll as partener of his great paine As most expedient to his weale I would all jelousie were abject If he be jelous that he it conceale And in his labour be circumspect To know her wayes if they seeme suspect * And not for to breake for one word broken She woll not misse but she woll be wroken * Forbid her not that thou noldest haue don For looke what thing she is forbod To that of all things she is most prone Namely if it be ill and no good Till it be executed she is nigh wood Soch is a woman and soch is her feat * Her craft by craft labour to defeat If thou hereafter now a single man Shouldest be jelous if thou haddest a wife Wedde not but if thou can trust woman For els shouldest lede a carefull life That thou most lothest should be full rife Yet I nill gainesay Matrimonie * But Melius est nubere quam uri That is to say better is in Wedlocke A wife to take as the church doth kenne Than to been vnder the fleshes yoke In fleshly lust alway for to brenne But as I said for all jelous menne * So they liue chaste I hold it lasse ill That they wedde not than them self spill The single man which is yet to wedde And not the wedded man thus I rede To warne him now he is too farre spedde It is too late him to forbedde But let him take as for his owne need Soch counsaile as is him before told These words folowing eke to behold Thy water to keep the wiseman doth teach That thou in no wise let it haue issue At a narow rifte way it woll seach And semblably the woman vntrue To giue her free walke in al wise eschue * If she at large not at thine hand walke She woll thee shame thou shalt it not balke Wedded or single thus saith the wiseman * Her that both day and night euermore Lithe in thy bosome wife or yet lemman Loue not to hote least thou repent sore Least she thee bring into some ill lore Thy wife not to loue yet I nill support But that thou dote not thus I thee exhort Lo if thou loue her loue eke thine honestie Be she not idell for what woll betide * If she sit idell of very necessitie Her mind woll search ferre and eke wide Namely if she be not accompanide How accompanied not with yong
hastinesse For certes ye may not deme for the best a suddain thought that falleth in your heart but ye must advise you on it full oft For as yee have heard here before the common proverb is this * He that sone deemeth sone repenteth Sir ye ne be not alway in like disposition for certes some thing that seemeth somtime to you that is good for to doe another time it seemeth to you the contrarie And when ye han taken counsaile in your selfe and han deemed by good deliberation such thing as you seemeth best than rede I you that yee keepe it secret Bewray yee not your counsaile to no person but if so be that yee wene sikerly that through your bewraying your condition shall bee to you the more profitable For Iesus Sirake saith * Neither to thy foe ne to thy friend discover not thy secret ne thy folly for they woll yeue you audience and looking and supportation in your presence and scorn you in your absence Another Clerke sayth * That scarsly shall you finde any person that may keepe counsaile secretly The booke saieth * While that thou keepest the counsaile in thine heart thou keepest it in thy prison and when thou bewrayest thy counsaile to any wight hee holdeth thee in his snare And therefore you is better to hide your counsaile in your heart than to pray him to whom yee have bewrayed your counsaile that he woll keepe it close still For Seneca saieth If so be that thou maiest not thine owne counsaile hide howe darest thou pray any other wight thy counsaile secret to keepe But nathelesse if thou wene sikerly that thy bewraying of thy counsaile to a person woll make thy condition stonde in the better plight then shalt thou tell him thy counsaile in this wise First thou shalt make no semblant whether thee were lever peace or warre or this or that ne shewe him not thy will ne thine entent for trust well that commonly these counsailours beene flatrerers namely the counsailours of great lordes for they enforce hem alway rather to speak pleasant words enclining to the lordes lust than words that ben trew or profitable and therfore men say * that the rich man hath seld good counsaile but if hee have it of himselfe And after that thou shalt consider thy friendes and thine enemies And as touching thy friendes thou shalt consider which of hem been most faithfull and most wise and eldest and most approved in counsailing and of hem shalt thou aske thy counsaile as the case requireth I say that first yee shall call to your counsaile your friends that been true For Saloman saith * That right as the heart of a man deliteth in savour that is sote right so the counsaile of true friends yeueth swetenesse to the soule And hee saieth also there may nothing be likened to the true friend For certes gold ne silver bee not so much worth as the good will of a true friend And also he saith that a true friend is a strong defence who so that it findeth hath a great treasure Then shall ye also consider if that your true friends be discreet wise for the booke saith Aske alway thy counsaile of them that bin wise And by this same reason shall ye call to your counsaile your friends that beene of age such as seeme and beene expert in many thinges and been approoved in counsailing For the booke saieth * That in olde men is Sapience in long time the prudence And Tullius saieth * That great things beene not aye accomplished by strength ne by delivernesse of body but by counsaile by aucthoritie of persons and by Science the which three things ne beene not feeble by age but certes they enforce and encrease day by day and then shall ye keep this for a generall rule First shall yee call to your counsaile a fewe of your friends that been especial For Salomon saieth * Many friends have thou but among a thousand chuse thee one to bee thy counsailour For all bee it so that thou first ne tell thy counsaile but to a fewe thou mayest afterwarde tell it to mo folke if it bee neede But looke alway that thy counsaylours have those conditions that I have sayd before that is to say That they be true wise and of old experience And werke not alway in every need by one Counsailer alone for sometimes behooueth it to bee counsailed by many For Salomon sayth * Saluation of things is where as there be many counsaylers Now haue I told you of which folke yee shall be counsailed now woll I tell you which cousaile yee ought to eschew First yee shall eschew the counsailing of fooles Salomon sayth * Take no counsaile of a foole for hee woll counsaile but after his owne lust his affection The booke sayth that the propertie of a foole is this * He troweth lightly harme of euery man and lightly troweth all bountie in himselfe Thou shalt eschew the counsailing of all flaterers which as enforcen hem rather to praise your person by flatterie than for to tell you the soothfastnesse of things Wherefore Tullius sayeth * Among all the pestilence that been in friendship the greatest is flatterie And therefore it is more need that thou eschew and dread flatterers than any other people The booke saith * Thou shalt rather flee fro the sweete wordes of flattering and praising than fro the eagre words of thy friends that saith the sooths Salomon saith * That the words of a flatterer is a snare to catch innocence He sayth also * He that speaketh to his friend wordes of flatterie and of pleasaunce he setteth a net beforne his feet to catch him And therefore Tullius sayth Encline not thine eares to flatterers ne take no counsaile of flatterers And Caton sayeth * Auise thee well and eschew the wordes of sweetnesse and of pleasaunce And eke thou shalt eschew the counsailing of thine old enemies that been reconciled The booke sayth * That no wight retourneth safely into the grace of his old enemie And Isope sayth * Ne trust not to hem to which thou hast sometime had war or enmity ne tell hem not thy counsaile And Seneck telleth the cause why it may not be for he sayth * There as great fire hath long time endured that there dwelleth some vapour of heat And therefore saith Salomon * In thine old foe trust thou neuer For likerly though thine enemie be reconciled make the signe of humilitie and loute to thee with his head trust him neuer for certes he maketh thilke faigned humility more for his profite than for any humility or for any loue of thy person because that he deemeth to haue victory ouer thy person by such fained countenaunce the which victorie he might not haue by strife or warre And Petrus Alphons sayeth * Make no fellowship with thine old enemies for if thou do hem bounty they wollen pervert it to wickedness And eke thou must eschew the counsailing of hem that been thy servaunts and
body hath do shame No worship may he thus to him conquer But great disclaunder vnto him and her To her nay yet was it no reprefe For all for vertue was that she wrought But he that brewed hath all this mischefe That spake so faire fasâ—y inward thought His be the sclaunder as it by reson ought And vnto her thanke perpetuell That in soch a need help can so well Although through mens sleight subtilty A sely simple and innocent woman Betraied is no wonder sith the city Of Troy as the sâ—orie tell can Betrayed was through the disceit of man And set on fyre all downe ouerthrowe And finally destroied as men knowe Betray nat men cities great and kings What wight is it that can shape remedy Ayenst these falsely purposed things Who can by crafte soch craftes espy But man whose witt is ever redy taply To thing that sowning is to falshede Women bethe ware of false men I rede And farthermore have these men in vsage That where they nat likely been to speed Soch as they ben with a double visage They procuren for to pursewe her need He prayeth him in his cause to proceed And largely guerdoneth he his travaile Litel wote women how men hem assaile Another wretch vnto his felow saith Thou fishest faire she that thee hath fired Is false inconstaunt and hath no faith She for the rode of folke is so desired And as an horse fro day to day she is hired That when thou twinnest fro her company Commeth another and blered is thine eye Now pricke on fast and ride thy journey While thou art there for she behind thy back So liberall is she woll nothing withsey But smattly of another take a smack Thus fare these women all the pack * Who so hem trusteth hanged mote he bee Ever they desire chaunge and nolveltee Whereof proceedeth this but of envy For he himselfe her ne winne may He speaketh her reprefe and villany As mans blabbing tonge is wont alway Thus divers men full oft make assay For to distourbe folke in sondry wise For they may not obtaine her emprise Many one eke would for no good That hath in love his time spent and vsed Men wish that his lady his asking withstood Ere that he were of her plainly refused Or waste and vaine all that he had mused Wherefore he can none other remedy But on his lady shaperh him to ly Cvery woman he saith is light to gete Can none say nay if she be well ysought Who so may leiser have with her to trete Of his purpose shall he fayle nought But he on madnesse be so depe brought That he shende all with open homelynesse That loven women they doten as I gesse To slaunder women thus what may profite To gentillesse namely that hem arme should In defence of women and hem delite As that the ordre of gentillesse wold If that a man list gentill to be hold * He must all eschewe yâ— thereto is contrary A sclaundrous tonge is his great adversary A foule vice is of tonge to be light For who so moch clappeth gabbeth oft The tonge of man so swift is and so wight That when it is reised vp on loft Reason is shewed so slowly and soft That it him never ouertake may Lord so these men been trusty in assay Albeit that men find one woman nice Inconstaunt rechlesse and variable Deignous proude fulfilled of mallice Without faith or love and disceivable Sly queint false in all vntrust coulpable Wicked feirse or full of cruelte Yet followeth it not that soch all women be When yâ— high God aungels fourmed had Among hem all were there none That founden was malicious and bad Yet all men wote there were many one That for her pride fill fro heven anone Shuld men for thy yeve al angels proud name Nay he that thee susteineth is to blame Of twelve Apostles one a traitour was The remnant yet good were and trew So if it hap men find percaas O woman false soch good is to eschew And deme not that they all therfore be vntrewe * I see well mens owne falsenesse Hem causeth women to trust the lesse O every man ought have an herte tendre Vnto a woman and deeme her honorable Where his shape be thicke or slendre Or he be good or badde it is no fable Every wight wote that wit hath resonable That of a woman he discended is Then is it shame of her to speake amisse A wicked tree good fruite may none forth bring For soch the fruite is as is the tree Take heed of whom thou toke thy beginning Let thy mother be mirrour vnto thee Honour her if thou wolte honoured bee Dispise her then not in no manere Lest that thereby thy wickednesse appere An old proverbe sayd is in English * That bird or foule is full dishonest What that he be and hold full churlish That vseth to defoule his owne nest Men to say well of women it is the best And naught to dispise hem ne depraue If they woll her honour keep or saue The ladies ever complain hem on clerks That they have made bookes of her diffame In which they dispise women her werks And speak of hem great reprofe and shame And causelesse yeve hem a wicked name Thus they dispised be on every side Disclaundred and blowen on full wide Tho sory bookes maken mencion How women betraide in especiall Adam David Sampson and Salomon And many one mo who may reherse hem all The treason that they have do and shall The world her malice may not comprehend As clerkes saine for it hath none end Ouide in his boke called Remedy Of loue great reprofe of women writeth Wherein I trowe he did great foly And euery wight that in soch case him deliteth A clerkes custome is when he enditeth Of women be it prose time or vers Say they be wicked all know he the reuers And yâ— boke scholers lerned in her childhede For they of women beware should in age And to loue hem euer be in drede Sith to disceiue is set all her corage They say of perel men should cast thauauntage Namely of soch as men haue in bewrapped For many a man by women hath mishapped No charge is what so these clerkes saine Of all her writing I doe no cure All her labour and trauayle is in vaine For betweene me and my lady nature Shall not be suffred while yâ— world may dure Thus these clerkes by her cruell tyranny On selie women kithen her maistry Whilom for many of hem were in my cheine Tied and now for vnwedly age And vnlust may not to loue atteine And saine now that loue is but very dotage Thus for they hemselfe lacken courage They folke excite by her wicked sawes For to rebell ayenst me and my lawes But mauger hem that blame women most Such is the force of mine impression That sodainly I can fell her boste And all her wrong imagination It shall not be in
THE PROGENIE OF GEFFREY CHAUCER The true portraiture of GEFFREY CHAUCEER the famous English poet as by THOMAS OCCLEUE is described who liued in his time and was his Scholar THE WORKS OF OUR Ancient Learned Excellent ENGLISH POET JEFFREY CHAUCER As they have lately been Compar'd with the best Manuscripts and several things added never before in Print To which is adjoyn'd The STORY of the SIEGE of THEBES By John Lidgate Monk of Bury TOGETHER WITH The Life of Chaucer SHEWING His Countrey Parentage Education Marriage Children Revenues Service Reward Friends Books Death Also a TABLE wherein the Old and Obscure Words in Chaucer are explained and such Words which are many that either are by Nature or Derivation Arabick Greek Latine Italian French Dutch or Saxon mark'd with particular Notes for the better understanding their Original LONDON Printed in the Year MDCLXXXVII TO THE Right Honourable Sir ROBERT CECIL K nt PRINCIPAL SECRETARY To the QUEEN's Most Excellent Majesty Master of the Court of Wards and Liveries one of her Highness's most Honourable Privy Council and Right Worthy Chancellor of the Vniversity of CAMBRIDGE Right Honourable AT the last Impression of this Work in way of humble Duty and Thankfulness I presented to Your Honour certain Collections and Observations upon Chaucer as namely His Life Picture and Pedigree the Arguments of every Book and Tale the Explanation of old Words with Declaration of Authors by him cited and also two Treatises the Death of Blanch called his Dream and the Flower and the Leaf never before printed But as these things then through want of time were not fully perfected so were there some other things omitted at the next Impression to be performed Now therefore that both by old written Copies and by Thynn's praise-worthy Labours I have reformed the whole Work whereby Chaucer for the most part is restored to his own Antiquity and noted withal most of his Sentences and Proverbs having also with some Additions reduced into due place those former Notes and Collections as likewise proved the Significations of most of the old and obscure Words by the Tongues and Dialects from whence they are derived translated also into English all the Latin and French by him used and lastly added to his Works some Things of his own doing as the Treatise of Jack Upland against Fryars and his A. B. C. commonly called La Priere de nostre Dame I am bold to present the whole to your Honourable Favour and Patronage always mindful of my bounden Duty to Your Honour's House which with hearty Prayer I commend to the Grace of the Almighty Your Honour 's in all Duty at Commandment THO. SPEGHT To the Readers AFter this Book was last Printed I understood that Mr. Francis Thynn had a purpose as indeed he hath when time shall serve to set out Chaucer with a Comment in our Tongue as the Italians have Petrark and others in their Language Whereupon I purposed not to meddle any farther in this Work altho some promise made to the contrary but to referr all to him being a Gentleman for that purpose inferiour to none both in regard of his own Skill as also of those helps left to him by his Father Yet notwithstanding Chaucer now being Printed again I was willing not only to help some Imperfections but also to add some things whereunto he did not only persuade me but most kindly lent me his Help and Direction By this means most of his old Words are restored Proverbs and Sentences marked such Notes as were collected drawn into better order and the Text by old Copies corrected But of some things I must advertise the Readers as first that in Chaucer they shall find the Proper Names oftentimes much differing from the Latin and Greek from whence they are drawn which they must not condemn in him as a fault for both he and other Poets in Translating such Words from one Language into another do use as the Latins and Greeks do the sundry Species of Metaplasmus as Campaneus for Capaneus Atheon for Acteon Adriane for Ariadne Which Chaucer doth in other Words also as gon for begon leve for beleve peraunter for peradventure loveden for did love woneden for did won c. It is his manner likewise imitating the Greeks by two Negatives to cause a greater Negation as I ne said none ill Also many times to understand his Verb as I not what men him call for I know not c. And for the Author to name some part of his Work as Argonauticon for Apollonius Rhodius And that sometime in the Genitive Case a former Substantive being understood as read Aeneidos Metamorphoseos for the Authors of those Works And for his Verses altho in divers places they may seem to us to stand of unequal Measures yet a skilful Reader that can scan them in their nature shall find it otherwise And if a Verse here and there fall out a Syllable shorter or longer than another I rather aret it to the negligence and rape of Adam Scrivener that I may speak as Chaucer doth than to any unconning or over-sight in the Author for how fearful he was to have his Works miswritten or his Verse mismeasured may appear in the End of his Fifth Book of Troylus and Creseide where he writeth thus And for there is so great diversitie In English and in writing of our tongue So pray I God that none miswrite thee Ne thee mismetre for defaut of tongue c. Moreover whereas in the explanation of the old Words sundry of their Significations by me given may to some seem conjectural yet such as understand the Dialects of our Tongue especially in the North and have knowledge in some other Languages will judge otherwise and for the satisfying of others which want such skill I have by these Characters a. g. l. i. f. d. b. notified to them from what Tongue or Dialect such Words are derived It were a Labour worth commendation if some Scholar that hath Skill and Leisure would conferr Chaucer with those learned Authors both in Greek and Latin from whom he hath drawn many excellent things and at large report such Histories as in his Works are very frequent and many of them hard to be found which would so grace this Ancient Poet that whereas divers have thought him unlearned and his Writings mere Trifles it should appear That besides the knowledge of sundry Tongues he was a Man of great Reading and deep Judgment This course I began in the former Impression but here of purpose have left it off as also the Description of Persons and Places except some few of more worthy note as a labour rather for a Commentor for that it concerneth Matter than for him that intendeth only the explaining of Words And thus to conclude I commit to your wonted Favour this our Poet and what here is done for the Poet's sake TO HIS Very Loving and assured Good Friend Mr. THOMAS SPEGHT I Am sorry that neither the
jam monte potitus Ridet anhelantem dura ad fastigia turbam His Country THis famous and learned Poet Geffrey Chaucer Esq was supposed by Leland to have been an Oxfordshire or Barkshire Man born for so reporteth John Bale in his Catalogue of English Writers Quibusdam argumentis adducebatur Lelandus ut crederet c. Some Reasons did move Leland to think That Oxfordshire or Barkshire was his Native Country But as it is evident by his own Words in the Testament of Love he was born in the City of London for thus he writeth there Also in the City of London that is to me so dear and sweet in which I was foorth growen and more kindly Love have I to that Place than to any other in yerth as every kindly Creature hath full Appetite to that Place of his kindly Engendure and to wilne Rest and Peace in that stede to abide thilke Peace should thus there have been broken which of all wise Men is commended and desired In the Records of the Guild-Hall in London we find that there was one Richard Chaucer Vintner of London in the twenty third Year of Edward 3d. who might well be Chaucer's Father Also there was a Nun of St. Hellens in London named Elizabeth Chaucer in the first Year of Rich. 2d as it is in Record which seemeth either to have been his Sister or of his Kindred and by likelihood a Londoner born Moreover in the eighth year of the same King Geffrey Chaucer was Controller of the Custom-House in London as after out of the Records shall appear Other Dealings he had in the City as we may plainly see in the Testament of Love all which may move us to think That he was born in London His Parentage FOR his Parentage and Place of Birth although Bale termeth him Galfridus Chaucer nobili loco natus summae spei juvenis yet in the Opinion of some Heralds otherwise than his Vertues and Learning commended him he descended not of any great House which they gather by his Arms De argento rubeo colore partita per longitudiuem scuti cum benda ex transverso eisdem coloribus sed transmutatis depicta sub hac forma But this is but a simple Conjecture for honourable Houses and of great Antiquity have borne as mean Arms as Chaucer and yet his Arms are not so mean either for Colour Charge or Particion as some would make them And indeed both in respect of the Name which is French as also by other Conjectures it may be gathered That his Progenitors were Strangers But wheras some are of Opinion that the first coming of the Chaucers into England was when Qu. Isabel Wife to Edw. 2. and her Son Prince Edw. returned out of Henault into England at which time also almost 3000 Strangers came over with them as by Chronicles appeareth or some two Years after when Philip Daughter to the Earl of Henault came over to be married to Prince Edward I can by no means consent with them but rather must think That their Name and Family was of far more ancient Antiquity although by time decayed as many more had been of much greater Estate For in the days of Edw. 1. there was one John Chaucer as appeared by the Records of the Tower where it is said That the King did hear the Complaint of John Chaucer in the damage of 1000 l. There was also in the time of Hen. 3. and Edw. 1. Elias Chaucesir of whom the Records in the Exchequer have thus Edwardus Dei Gratia c. liberate de Thesauro nostro Elias Chaucesir decem solid c. with which Characters Geffrey Chaucer is written in the Records of Edw. 3. and Rich. 2. This Name was at the first a Name of Office or Occupation which afterward came to be the Name of a Family as Smith Baker Skinner and others have done In the time of King John likewise there was one named le Chaucer as appeareth by the Records of the Tower But what need I to stand upon the Antiquity or Gentry of Chaucer when the Roll of Battle Abbey affirmeth Chaucer to have come in with the Conquerour Moreover it is more likely that the Parents of Geffrey Chaucer were mere English and himself an English-man born for else how could he have come to that Perfection in our Language as to be called The first Illuminer of the English Tongue had not both he and his Parents before him been born and bred among us But what their Names were or what Issue they had otherwise than by Conjecture before given we cannot declare Now whether they were Merchants as some will have it for that in Places where they have dwelled the Arms of the Merchants of the Staple have been seen in the glass Windows or whether they were of other Calling it is not much necessary to search but wealthy no doubt they were and of good account in the Commonwealth who brought up their Son in such sort that both he was thought fit for the Court at home and to be employed for matters of State in foreign Countries His Education HIS bringing up as Leland saith was in the University of Oxford as also in Cambridge as appeareth by his own Words in his Book entituled The Court of Love and in Oxford by all likelihood in Canterbury or in Merton Colledge with John Wickliffe whose Opinions in Religion he much affected where besides his private Study he did with great diligence frequent the publick Schools and Disputations Hinc acutus Dialecticus hinc dulcis Rhetor hinc lepidus Poeta hinc gravis Philosophus ac sanctus Theologus evasit Mathematicus insuper ingeniosus erat à Johanne Sombo c. Hereupon saith Leland he became a witty Logician a sweet Rhetorician a pleasant Poet a grave Philosopher and a holy Divine Moreover he was a very skilful Mathematician instructed therein by John Some and Nicholas Lynne Friars Carmelites of Lynne and men very skilful in the Mathematicks whom he in his Book called The Astrolaby doth greatly commend and calleth them Reverend Clerks By his Travel also in France and Flanders where he spent much time in his young Years but more in the latter end of the Reign of King Rich. 2. he attained to great Perfection in all kind of Learning for so do Bale and Leland also report Circa postremos Richardi secundi annos in Galliis floruit magnamque illic ex assidua in literis exercitatione gloriam sibi comparavit Domum reversus forum Londinense Collegia Leguleiorum qui ibidem patria jura interpretantur frequentavit c. About the latter end of King Richard the Second's Days he flourished in France and got himself great Commendation there by his diligent Exercise in Learning After his Return home he frequented the Court at London and the Colledges of the Lawyers which there interpret the Laws of the Land and among them he had a familiar Friend
the Loadsterre Afterward in the same place do follow fourscore and three Verses in the Commendation of Chaucer and the Books that he made particularly named In a Book of Master Stow's but I know not who was the Author I find these Verses O fathers and founders of enornat eloquence That elumined have our great Britaine To soon we have lost our lauriat Science O lusty licour of that fulsome Fountain O cursed Death why hast thou those Poets slain I mean Gower Chaucer and Gaufride Alas the time that ever they fro us dide John Lidgate again in a Book which he writeth of the Birth of the Virgin Mary hath these Verses And eke Maister Chaucer now is in graue The notable Rhetore Poet of Britaine That worthy was the laurell to haue Of poetry and the palme attain That made first to distil and rain The gold dew drops of speech and eloquence Into our Tongue through his excellence And found the floures first of Rhetoricke Our rude Speech only to enlumine That in our Tongue was never none him like For as the sunne doth in heaven shine In midday spere down to us by line In whose presence no sterre may appear Right so his ditties withouten any peare Every making with his light dislaine In soothfastnesse who so taketh heed Wherefore no wonder though my hert plain Vpon his death and for sorrow bleed For want of him now in my great need That should alas convay and eke direct And with his support amend and correct The wrong traces of my rude Pen There as I erre and go not line right But that for he ne may me not kenne I can no more but with all my might With all mine heart and mine inward sight Prayeth for him that now lieth in chest To God aboue to giue his Soul good rest The excellent and learned Scottish Poet Gawyne Dowglas Bishop of Dunkeld in the Preface of Virgil's Eneados turned into Scottish Verse doth thus speak of Chaucer Venerable Chaucer principal Poet without pere Heauenly Trumpet Orloge and Regulere In eloquence baulme conduct and Dyal Milky fountein clear strand and rose ryal Of fresh endite through Alvione Island brayed In his Legend of notable ladies sayed c. About Caxton's Time Stephanus Surigonius Poet Laureat of Millain did write this Epitaph upon Geffrey Chaucer in Latin Epitaphium Galfridi Chaucer per Poetam laureatum Stephanum Surigonum Mediolanensem in decretis licentiatum PYerides musae si possint numina fletus Fundere divinas atque rigare genas Galfridi vatis Chaucer crudelia fata Plangite sit lachrimis abstinuisse nephas Vos coluit vivens at vos celebrate sepultum Reddatur merito gratia digna viro Grande decus vobis est docti musa Maronis Qua didicit melius lingua latina loqui Grande novumque decus Chaucer famamque paravit Heu quantum fuerat prisca Britanna rudis Reddidit insignem maternis versibus ut jam Aurea splendescat ferrea facta prius Hunc latuisse virum nil si tot opuscula vertes Dixeris egregiis quae decorata modis Socratis ingenium vel fontes Philosophiae Quicquid arcani dogmata sacra ferunt Et quascumque velis tenuit dignissimus artes Hic vates parvo conditus hoc tumulo Ah laudis quantum praeclara Britannia perdis Dum rapuit tantum mors odiosa virum Crudeles Parcae crudelia filia sororum Non tamen extincto corpore fama perit Vivet in aeternum vivent dum scripta poetae Vivent aeterno tot monumenta die Si qua bonos tangit pietas si carmine dignus Carmina qui cecinit tot cumulata modis Haec sibi Marmoreo scribantur verba sepulchro Haec maneat landis sarcina summa suae Galfridus Chaucer vates fama poesis Maternae haec sacra sum timulatus humo Post obitum Caxton voluit te vivere cura Guillelnii Chaucer clare poeta tui Nam tua non solum compressit opuscula formis Has quoque sed landes jussit hic esse tuas And as for men of later time Mr. William Thynn that learned Gentleman and painful Collector of Chaucer's Works in his Epistle Dedicatory to the King's Majesty hath duely set forth the commendable Qualities of this Poet whose Judgment we are the rather to approve for that he had farther insight into him than many others of whom John Bale in his Book De Scriptoribus Britan. Centur. 12. hath some 60 Years past delivered this Guilhelmus Thynn praeclari generis homo ab ineunte aetate in literis educatus multo labore sedulitate cura usus in perquirendis vetustis exemplaribus Chauceri opera restituit atque in unum collegit volumen quod Henrico octavo Anglorum regi dedicavit Since whose time two of the purest and best Writers of our days the one for Prose the other for Verse Mr. Ascham and Mr. Spenser have delivered most worthy Testimonies of their approving of Chaucer Mr. Ascham in one Place calleth him English Homer and makes no doubt to say that he valueth his Authority of as high Estimation as ever he did either Sophocles or Euripides in Greek And in another place where he declareth his Opinion of English versifying he useth these Words Chaucer and Petrark those two worthy Wits deserve just Praise And last of all in his Discourse of Germany he putteth him nothing behind either Thucidides or Homer for his lively descriptions of site of Places and nature of Persons both in outward shape of Body and inward disposition of Mind adding this withal That not the proudest that hath written in any Tongue whatsoever in these Points can carry away the Praise from him Mr. Spenser in his first Eglogue of his Shepherds Kalendar calleth him Tityrus the God of Shepherds comparing him to the Worthiness of the Roman Tityrus Virgil. In his Fairy Queen in his Discourse of Friendship as thinking himself most worthy to be Chaucer's Friend for his like natural Disposition that Chaucer had the sheweth that none that lived with him nor none that came after him durst presume to revive Chaucer's lost Labours in that imperfect Tale of the Squire but only himself which he had not done had he not felt as he saith the Infusion of Chaucer's own sweet Spirit surviving within him And a little before he termeth him Most renowned and Heroical Poet and his Writings The Works of Heavenly Wit concluding his Commendation in this manner Dan Chaucer Well of English undefiled On Fame's eternal Beadrole worthy to be filed I follow here the footing of thy Feet That with thy meaning so I may the rather meet And once again I must remember Mr. Camden's Authority who as it were reaching one hand to Mr. Ascham and the other to Mr. Spenser and so drawing them together uttereth of him these Words De Homero nostro Anglico illud vere asseram quod de Homero eruditus ille Italus dixit Hic ille est cujus de gurgite sacro
narration such sensible and open stile lacking neither majesty ne mediocrity covenable in disposition and such sharpness or quickness in conclusion that it is much to be marvailed how in his time when doutless all good letters were laid asleep throughout the world as the thing which either by the disposition and influence of the bodies above or by other ordinaunce of God seemed like as was in danger to have utterly perished such an excellent Poet in our tongue shuld as it were nature repugning spring and arise For tho it had been in Demosthenes or Homerus times when all learning and excellency of sciences flourished amongs the Greeks or in the season that Cicero prince of eloquence amongs Latines lived yet had it been a thing right rare straunge and worthy perpetual laud that any Clerke by learning or witte could then have framed a tongue before so rude imperfite to such a sweet ornature and composition likely if he had lived in these days being good letters so restored and revived as they be if he were not empeached by the envy of such as may tollerate nothing which to understond their capacity doth not extend to have brought it unto a full and final perfection Wherefore gracious soveraigne lord taking such delight and pleasure in the works of this noble Clerke as is aforementioned I have of a long season much used to rede and visite the same and as books of divers imprints came unto my hands I easily and without great study might and have deprehended in them many errours falsities and depravations which evidently appeared by the contrarieties and alterations found by collation of the one with the other whereby I was moved and stirred to make diligent search where I might find or recover any true copies or exemplaries of the said books whereunto in process of time not without cost and pain I attained and not only unto such as seem to be very true copies of those works of Geffrey Chaucer which before had been put in print but also to divers other never till now imprinted but remaining almost unknowne and in oblivion whereupon lamenting with my self the negligence of the people that have been in this Realm who doubtless were very remiss in the setting forth or avauncement either of the Histories thereof to the great hinderaunce of the renoume of such noble Princes valiant Conquerours and Captains as have been in the same or also of the works of memory of the famous and excellent Clerks in all kinds of sciences that have flourished therein Of which both sorts it hath pleased God as highly to nobilitate this Isle as any other Region of Christendome I thought it in manere appertenaunt unto my duty and that of very honesty and love to my Country I ought no less to do than to put my helping hand to the restauration and bringing again to light of the said works after the true Copies and Exemplaries aforesaid And devising with my self who of all other were most worthy to whom a thing so excellent and notable should be dedicate which to my conceit seemeth for the admiration novelty and strangeness that it might be deputed to be of in the time of the Authour in comparison as a pure and fine tried precious or pollished jewel out of a rude or indigest masse or matere none could to my thinking occurre that since or in the time of Chaucer was or is sufficient but only your Majesty Royal which by discretion and judgement as most absolute in wisedome and all kinds of doctrine could and of his innate clemency and goodness would add or give any Authority hereunto For this cause most excellent and in all vertues most prestante Prince I as humbly prostrate before your Kingly estate lowly supply and beseech the same that it woll vouchsafe to toke in good part my poor study and desirous mind in reducing unto light this so precious and necessary an ornament of the tongue in this your Realm over pitous to have been in any point lost falsified or neglected So that under the shield of your most royal Protection and Defence it may go forth in publick and prevail over those that would blemish deface and in many things clearly abolish the laud renoume and glory heretofore compared and meritoriously adquired by divers Princes and other of this said most noble Isle whereunto not only Straungers under pretext of high learning and knowlege of their malicious and perverse minds but also some of your own subjects blinded in folly and ignoraunce do with great study contend Most gracious victorious and of God most elect and worthy Prince my most dread soveraigne Lord in whom of very merite duty and succession is renued the glorious Title of Defensor of the Christen Faith which by your noble Progenitour the Great Constantine sometime King of this Realm Emperour or Rome was next God and his Apostles cheefly maintained corroborate and defended Almighty Iesu send to your Highness the continuall and everlasting habundance of his infinite Grace Amen A TABLE of the Principal Matters Contained in this VOLUME Which you may find by the Folio's as follows Folio THE Prologues of the Canterbury Tales 1 The Knights Tale Folio 9 The Millers Tale Folio 26 The Reves Tale Folio 33 The Cooks Tale Folio 36 The man of Laws Tale Folio 38 The Squires Tale Folio 47 The Marchants Tale Folio 53 The Wife of Bathes Prologue Folio 62 The Wife of Bathes Tale Folio 69 The Freres Tale Folio 72 The Sompnours Tale Folio 75 The Clerke of Oxenfords Tale Folio 80 The Frankeleins Tale Folio 91 The second Nonnes Prologue Folio 98 The second Nonnes Tale Folio 99 The Prologue of the Chanons Yeoman 102 Folio 103 The Chanons Yeomans Tale Folio 104 The Doctour of Physickes Tale Folio 110 The Pardoners Prologue Folio 112 The Pardoners Tale Folio 113 The Shipmans Tale Folio 117 The Prioresse Prologue Folio 121 The Prioresse Tale ibid. The Rime of Sir Topas Folio 123 The Tale of Chaucer Folio 125 The Monks Prologue Folio 141 The Monks Tale Folio 142 The Tale of the Nonnes Priest Folio 149 The Manciples Tale Folio 155 The Plowman's Tale Folio 157 The Parsons Tale Folio 169 The Romaunt of the Rose Folio 199 Troilus and Creseide is divided into five Books The first Booke beginneth Folio 258 The second Booke beginneth Folio 268 The third Booke beginneth Folio 283 The fourth Booke beginneth Folio 298 The fifth Booke beginneth Folio 313 The Testament of Creseide Folio 329 The Legend of good women hath all these following The Prologue Folio 334 The Legend of Cleopatras Folio 339 The Legend of Tisbe of Babylon Folio 340 The Legend of Queene Dido Folio 341 The Legend of Hipsiphile and Medea Folio 345 The Legend of Lucrece of Rome Folio 347 The Legend of Ariadne Folio 349 The Legend of Philomene Folio 351 The Legend of Phillis Folio 353 The Legend of Hypermestra Folio 354 A goodly Ballad of Chaucer Folio 355 Boetius de Consolatione
blame * And eke men should not make ernest of game ¶ The Millers Tale. WHylome there was dwelling in Oxenford A rich gnofe that gests helden to bord And of his craft he was a Carpenter With him there was dwelling a poor scholler Had learned Art but all his fantasie Was turned to learne Astrologie And coud certaine of conclusions To demen by interrogations If that men asken him in certain hours When that men shoulden have drought or shours Or if men asked him what shuld befal Of every thing I may not reken all This clarke was cleped Hend Nicholas Of berne loue he coud and of solas And thereto he was slie and right priuee And ilike to a maiden meeke to see A chamber he had in that hostelrie Alone withouten any companie Full tetously dight with hearbes sote And he himselfe as sweet as is the rote Of Licores or of any Seduwall His almagiste and bookes great and small His asterlagour longing for his art His augrim stones lying faire apart On shelues all couched at his beds hed His presse icouered with a folding red And all aboue there lay a gay Sautrie On which he made on nights melodie So sweetly that all the chamber rong And Angelus ad virginem he song And after that he song the kings note Full oft blessed was his merry throte And thus the sweet clarke all his time spent After his friends finding and his rent This Carpenter had wedded new a wife Which that he loved more then his life Of eighteene yeare I gesse she was of age Iealous he was and kept her strait in cage For she was wild and young he was old And deemed himself to been a Cokewold * He knew not Cato for his wit was rude That bade men wed her similitude * Men shoulden wed after her estate For youth and elde is often at debate But sith he was fallen in the snare He must enduren as other folke his care Faire was this young wife and therewithall As any Wisele her bodie gentle and small A seinte she weared barred all with silke A barme cloth as white as morrow milke Vpon her lendes full of many a gore White was her smock embrouded all before And eke behind on her colere about Of cole blacke silke within and eke without The tapes of her white volipere Were of the same sute of her colere Her fillet broad of silke and set full hie And sikerly she had a likerous eie Full small ypulled were her browes two And tho were bent and blacke as any sâ—o She was much more blisful for to see Than is the new Perienet tree And softer than the wool is of a weather And by her girdle hung a purse of leather Tassed with silke and perled with latoun In all this world to seeken up and down There nis no man so wise that couth thence So gay a popelote or so gay a wench Full brighter was the shining of her hew Then in the toure the Noble forged new But of her song it was so loud and yerne As any swallow sitting on a berne Thereto she couth skip and make a game As any Kid or Calfe following his dame Her mouth was sweet as braket or the meth Or hord of Apples lying in hay or heth Winsing she was as is a jolly colt Long as a mast and upright as a bolt A brooch she bare on her sow collere As broad as the bosse of a bucklere Her shoes were laced on her legs hie She was a primrose and a piggesnie For any lord to liggen in his bed Or yet for any good yoman to wed Now sir and eft sir so befell the caas That on a day this Hende Nicholas Fell with this yong wife to rage and pley While that her husband was at Oseney As clerkes ben full subtill and queint And priuily he caught her by the queint And saied I wis but I haue my will For derne loue of thee lemman I spill And held her full fast by the haunch bones And saied lemman loue me well at ones Or I woll dien also God me saue And she sprong as a colt in a traue And with her head she wrieth fast away And saied I woll not kiss thee by my fay Why let be qd she let be Nicholas Or I woll crie out harrow and alas Doe away your hands for your courtesie This Nicholas gan mercy for to crie And spake so faire and profered him so fast That she her loue graunted him at last And swore her oth by S. Thomas of Rent That she would been at his commandement When that she may her leisure well espie My husband is so full of jealousie That but ye wait well and be priue I wot right well I nam but dead qd she Ye mote be full derne as in this caas Nay thereof care ye not qd Nicholas * A clarke had litherly beset his while But if he couth a Carpenter beguile And thus they were accorded and yâ—worne To awaiten a time as I haue said beforne And when Nicholas had don thus euery dele And thacked her about the lends wele He kissed her sweet then taketh his Sautrie And plaieth fast and maketh melodie Then fell it thus that to the parish chirch Christes owne workes for to wirch This good wife went upon a holy day Her forehead shone as bright as any day So was it wash when she lete her werke Now was there of the chirch a parish clerke The whiche that was cleaped Absolon Croule was his haire and as gold it shon And strouted as a fanne large and brode Full straight and even lay his jolly shode His rode was red his eyen gray as Goos With Poles windowes coruen on his shoos In hosen redde he went fetously Gird he was full small and properly All in a kirtle of light waget Full faire and thicke been the points set And thereupon he had a gay surplise As white as the blossome on the rise A merrie child he was so God me saue Well coud he let bloud clippe and shaue And make a charter of lond and a quitaunce In twenty manner coud he trip and daunce After the schoole of Oxenford tho And with his legs casten to and fro And play songs on a small Ribible Thereto he song sometime a loud quinible And as well coud he play on a Geterne In all the toune nas brewhouse ne Tauerne There as any gay girle or Tapstere was That he ne visited with his solas But sooth to say he was somwhat squaimus Of farting and of speech daungerous This Absolon that was jolly and gay Goeth with a Censer on a Sunday Censing the wiues of the parish fast And many a louely looke on hem he cast And namely on this Carpenters wife To looke on her him thought a merry life She was so proper and sweet as Licorous I dare well saine if the had been a Mous And he a Cat he would haue her heâ—â— anon This parish clerke this jolly
bauds and waferers Which that been verely the deuils officers To kindle and blow the fire of letcherie That is annexed vnto glotonie The holy writ take I to my witnesse That letchery is in wine and dronkennesse Lo how that dronken Loth vnkindly Lay by his daughters two vnwittingly So dronke he was he nist what he wrought And therefore sore repenten him ought Herodes who so woll the stories seche There may ye learne by ensample teche When he of wine was replete at his feast Right at his owne table yaue his hest To sleen Iohan the Baptist full guiltlesse Seneke saith eke good words doubtlesse He saith he can no difference find * Betwixt a man that is out of his mind And a man the which is dronkelew But that woodnesse fallen in a shrew Perseuereth lenger than doth dronkennesse O glotenie full of cursednesse O cause first of our confusion O originall of our damnation Til Christ had bouÈt vs with his blood again Lo how dere shortly for to sain Bought was first this cursed villanie Corrupt was all this world throgh glotenie Adam our fornfather and his wife also Fro Paradice to labour and to wo Were driven for that vice it is no drede For whiles that Adam fasted as I rede He was in Paradise and when that hee Eat of the fruit defended on the tree Anon he was out cast to wo and paine O glotenie on thee well ought vs to plaine * Oh wist a man how many maladies Followeth of excesse and of glotenies He would been the more measurable Of his diete sitting at his table Alas the short throat the tender mouth Maketh that East West North South In earth in aire in water men to swinke To getten a glutton deinte meat and drinke Of this matter O Paul wel canst thou treat * Meat vnto wombe wombe eke vnto meat Shall God destroien both as Paule saith Alas a foule thing it is by my faith To say this word and fouler is the dede When men so drinketh of the white and rede That of his throte he maketh his priue Through thilke cursed superfluite The Apostle saieth weeping full pitously There walken many of which told haue I I say it now weeping with pitous voice They been enemies of Christs croice Of which the end is death womb is her God O belly O wombe O stinking cod Fulfilled of dong and corruptioun At either end of thee foule is the soun How great cost and labour is there to find These cookes Lord how they stamp strein grind And turne substance into accident To fulfill all thy likerous talent Out of the hard bones knocken they The mary for they cast it not away That may go through the gullet soft sote Of spicerie of leaves barke and rote Shall been his sauce ymade by delite To maken hem have a newer appetite * But certes he that haunteth such delices Is dead whiles that he liveth in the vices * A lecherous thing is wine dronkennes It is full of striving and of wretchednes Oh dronken man disfigured in thy face Soure is thy breath foul art thou to enbrace And through thy dronken nose souneth yâ— soun As tho thou saidest aie Sampson Sampsoun And yet God wot Sampson dronk never wine Thou fallest as it were a sticked swine Thy tongue is lost and all thine honest cure * For drunkennesse is very sepulture Of mans wit and his discretion * In whom that drinke hath domination He can no counsaile keepe it is no drede Now kepe you fro the white fro the rede And namely fro the White wine of Lepe That is to sell in Fishstreet and in Chepe This wine of Spaine creepeth subtilly And so do other wines growing fast by Of which riseth such fumositee That when a man hath dronk draughts three And weneth that he be at home in Chepe He is in Spaine right at the toune of Lepe Nought at Rochell ne at Burdeaux toun And then woll he say Sampsoun Sampsoun But herkeneth lordings o word I you pray That all the soveraigne acts dare I say Of victories in the old Testament That through very God that is omnipotent Were doen in abstinence and in prayere Looketh the Bible and there ye mow it lere Looketh Attila the great conquerour Died in his sleepe with shame dishonour Bleeding aye at his nose in drunkennesse A captaine should liue in sobernesse And over all this auise you right well What was commaunded unto Lamuel Not Samuell but Lamuel say I. Redeth the Bible and find it expresly Of wine yeuing to hem that haue justice No more of this for it may well suffice And now that I have spoke of glotonie Now woll I defend you hasardrie Hasard is very mother of lesings And of deceit and cursed forswearings Blaspheme of Christ manslauÈter wast also Of cattel of time and of other mo * It is repreue and contrary to honour For to be holden a common hasardour And ever the higher that he is of estate The more he is holden desolate If that a Prince shall use hasardrie In his gouernaunce and pollicie He is as by common opinion Hold the lesse in reputation Stillebon that was hold a wise embassadour Was sent to Corinth with full great honour Fro Calidone to maken hem alliaunce And when he came there happed this chaunce That all the greatest that were of the lond Playing at hasard he hem yfond For which as soone as it might be He stale him home ayen to his countre And saied There woll I not lese my name I nill not take on me so great defame For to allie you to none hasardours Sendeth other wiser embassadours For by my trouth me were leuer die Than I should you to hasardours alie For ye that been so glorious in honours Shall not alie you with hasardours As by my will ne by my treatie This wise Philosopher thus saied he Looke eke how to king Demetrius The king of Parthes as the booke saieth vs Sent him a paire of dice of gold in scorne For he had vsed hasardrie there biforne For which he held his glory and his renoun At no value or reputatioun * Lords might find other manner play Honest ynough to driue the day away Now wol I speake of othes false great A word or two as other bookes entreat * Great swearing is thing abhominable And false swearing is yet more reprouable The high God forbad swearing at all Witnesse of Mathew but in speciall Of swearing saieth the holy Ieremie * Thou shalt sweare sooth thine othes not lie And sweare in dome eke in rightwysnes But idle swearing is a cursednesse Behold and see that in the first table Of high Gods hestes that ben honourable How that the second hest of him is this Take not my name in idlenesse amis Lo he rather forbiddeth such swearing Than homicide or any other cursed thing I say as thus by order it stondeth This knoweth they that his hests vnderstondeth
as they may as well thy body as thy house defend But certes to mouen warre or to doen suddainly vengeaunce we may not deeme in so little time that it were profitable wherefore we aske leiser and space to haue deliberation in this cause to deme for the common prouerbe saith thus * He that sone deemeth sone shall repent And eke men saine * Thilke Iudge is wise that sone vnderstondeth a matter iudgeth by leiser * For all be it tarriyng be noifull algate it is not to be reproued in yeuing of iudgement ne in vengeance taking when it is sufficient reasonable And that shewed our lord Iesu Christ by ensample for when the woman was taken in auoutrie and was brought in his presens to knowen with shuld be doen of her person all be it that he wist wel himself with he would answere yet ne would he nor answere suddainly but he would haue deliberation in the ground he wrote twise by this cause we asken deliberation and we shall then by the grace of God counsaile you that thing that shall be profitable Vp stert then the yong folke at ones and the most part of that companie haue scorned this old wise man and begun to make noise said * Right so as whiles that iron is hot men should smite right so men should wreken her wrongs while that they been fresh new and with loud voyce they cried warre warre Vp rose then one of the old wise with his hand made countenance that they should holden hem still and yeuen him audience Lordings qd he There is full many a man that crieth warre warre that wote full lite what warre amounteth * Warre at his beginning hath so great an entring so large that every wight may enter when him liketh and lightly find warre but certes what end thereof shall fall it is not lightly to know When that warre is once begun there is ful many a child vnborne of his mother that shal sterue yong because of thilke warre other els liue in sorrow or dien in wretchednesse And therefore or that any warre bee begon men must haue great counsaile and good deliberation And whan this olde man wende to enforten his tale by reason wel nie all at ones begon for to rise for to breaken his tale bidden him full oft his wordes to abredge * For certes hee that preacheth to hem that list not heare his wordes his sermon hem annoieth For Iesus Sirake sayeth that weeping in musick is a noious thing This is as much to say as much auaileth it to speake beforne folk to which his speech anoieth as it is for to singen before hem that weepe And when this wise man saw that him wanted audience all shamefast he set him adown ayen For Salomon saith There as thou mayest not have audience enforce thee not to speake I see well qd this wise man that the common Proverbe is such * That good counsail wanteth when it is most need Yet had this Melibeus in his counsaile many folke that privily in his eare counsailed him certain things counsailed him the contrary in general audience When Melibeus had heard that the greatest part of his counsaile were accorded that he should make war anon he consented to her counsailing and fully affirmed her sentence Then Dame Prudence when that she saw her husbonde shope him for to awreke him on his enemies and to begin warre shee in full humble wise when shee saw her time sayed to him these words My lorde qd she I you beseech as heartily as I dare or can ne halfe you not too fast and for all guerdons yeue me audience For Peter Alphons saieth * Whoso doeth to thee good or harme haste thee not to quite it for in this wise thy friend woll abide thine enemie shall the lenger liue in dread The prouerbe saieth * He hasteth well that wisely can abide And in wicked hast is no profite This Melibe answered to his wife Prudence I purpose not qd he to werke by thy counsaile for many causes and reasons for certes euery wight would hold mee then a foole This is to say if I for thy counsailing would change things that been ordeined and affirmed by so many wise Secondly I say that all women beene wicked and none good of hem all For of a thousand men saith Salomon I found one good man But certes of al women found I neuer none And also certes if I gouerned mee by thy counsaile it should seeme that I had yeue thee ouer mee the maistrie and God forbid that it so were For Iesus Sirake saieth that if the wife haue maistrie shee is contrarious to her husbond And Salomon saieth * Neuer in thy life to thy wife ne to thy childe ne to thy friend ne yeue no power ouer thy selfe for better it were that thy children aske of thee things that hem needeth than thy selfe to be in the hands of thy children And also if I woll werche by thy counsail certes my counsail must be somtime secrete till it were time that it must bee knowen and this ne may not bee if I should be counsailed by thee When dame Prudence full debonairly and with great patience had heard all that her husbonde liked for to say then asked she of him licence for to speake saied in this wise My lord qd she as to your first reason it may lightly been answerd * For I say that it is no follie to chaunge counsaile when the thing is changed or els when the thing seemeth otherwise than it seemed afore And moreouer I say though that yee haue sworne behight to performe your emprise by just cause ye doe it not men should not say therefore ye were a lyer forsworn For the booke saieth * That the wise man maketh no lesing when hee turneth his corage for the better And albeit that your emprise bee established and ordeined by great multitude of folke yet dare you not accomplish thilke ordinance but you liketh for the trouth of things the profit been rather founden in few folke that been wise and full of reason than by great multitude of folke there every man crieth and clattereth what him liketh soothly such multitude is not honest And as to the second reason whereas ye say * That all women ben wicked save your grace Certes ye despise all women in this wise he that all despiseth as saith the booke al displeaseth And Senecke saith * That who so woll haue Sapience shall no man dispraise but he shall gladly teach the science that he can without presumption or pride and such things as he nought ne can hee shall not beene ashamed to learne hem and to enquire of lesse folke than himselfe And that ther hath ben many a good woman may lightly be prooued for certes sir our Lord Iesu Christ nold neuer han discended to be borne of a woman if all women had be wicked And after that for the great
enemy Seneke sayth * A man that is well aduised he dreadeth his least enemie Ouid sayth * That the little wesell woll slee the great Bull and the wild Hart. And the Prouerbe sayth * That a little thorn woll greeue a king full sore and a little hound woll hold the wild Bore But nathalesse I say not thou shalt be so coward that thou doubt where as is no dred The book sayth That somemen haue great lust to deceiue but yet they dread to bee deceiued And keepe thee fro the companie of scorners * For the booke sayth With scorners ne make no company but flie her words as venome Now as to the second point whereas your wise Counsaylours counsayled you to warnestore your house with great dilligence I would faine know how yee vnderstond thilke wordes and what is your sentence Melibeus answered and said certes I vnderstond it in this wise that I shall warnestore mine house with toures such as haue castles other maner edifices and armure and archeries betweene which things I may my person and my house so keepe defend that mine enemies shullen be in dread mine house to approch To this sentence answered anon Prudence Warnishing qd she of high toures and of high edifices is with great costages and with great travaile and when that they ben accomplished yet bin they not worth a straw but if they been defended with true friends that ben old and wise And understondeth well that the greatest and the strongest garnison that rich men may have as well to keepen her person as her goods is that they be beloved with her subjects and with her neighbours For thus sayth Tullius * That there is a manner garrison that no man may vanquish ne discomfite and that is a lord to be beloved of his citizens and of his people Nowe sir as to the third point whereas your olde and wise Counsaylours saied that ye ought not suddainly ne hastily proceed in this need but that yee ought purueyen and apparaile you in this case with great dilligence and deliberation Verely I trow that they saied right truly and right sooth For Tullius sayth * In every deed or thou begin it apparaile thee with great diligence Then say I in vengeaunce taking in war in battaile and in warnestoring or thou begin I rede that thou apparaile thee thereto and do it with great deliberation For Tullius sayth * The long apparailing tofore the battaile maketh short victorie And Cassidorus sayth * The garrison is stronger when it is long time avised But now let us speake of the Counsayle that was accorded by your neighbours such as done you reverence withouten love your old enemies reconciled your flatterers that counsailed you certain things prively and openly counsailed you the contrarie The young folke also that counsailed you to venge you and to make warre anon Certes sir as I have saied before ye have greatly erred to clepe such manner of folke to your counsaile which counsailours ben ynough reproued by the reasons aforesaid But nathelesse let us now descend to the special Ye shull first proceed after the doctrine of Tullius Certes the trouth of this matter or of this counsaile needeth not diligently to enquire for it is wel wist which they been that han done you this trespas and villanie and how many trespassours and in what manner they have done all this wrong to you and all this villany And after this then shull ye examine the second condition which Tullius addeth in this matter For Tullius putteth a thing which that he clepeth consenting this is to say who ben they and which been they and how many that consenten to thy counsaile in thy wilfulnesse to done hastie vengeaunce And let us consider also who been they and how many they been that consented to your adversaries As to the first point it is well knowen which folke they be that consented to your hastie wilfulnesse For truly all tho that counsaile you to maken suddaine warre ne be not your friends Let see now which beene they that ye holden so greatly your friends as to your person For albeit so that ye be mighty and rich certes ye been but alone for truly yee ne have no child but a doughter ne ye have no brethren ne cousin Germaines ne none other nigh kinrede wherefore your enemies should stint to plead with you ne to destroy your person Ye know also that your riches mote be dispended in diverse parties And when that every wight hath his part they wollen take but little regard to venge your death But thine enemies ben three they have many brethren children cousins and other nigh kinrede and though so were that thou haddest slaine of hem two or three yet dwelleth there ynowe to avenge her death and to slea thy person And though so be that your kinrede be more stedfast and siker than the kinne of your adversaries yet neverthelesse your kinrede is but after kinrede for they ben but little sibbe to you and the kinne of your enemies ben nigh sibbe to hem And certes as in that her condition is better than is yours Then let us consider also of the counsayling of hem that counsayled you to take suddaine vengeaunce whether it accord to reason or non And certes yee know well nay for as by right reason there may no man take vengeaunce of no wight but the judge that hath jurisdiction of it when it is graunted him to take vengeaunce hastely or attemperately as the Law requireth And yet moreover of thilke word that Tullius clepeth consenting thou shalt consent if that thy might and thy power may consent and suffice to thy wilfulnesse and to thy counsaylours And certes thou mayest well say nay for sikerly as for to speake properly * We may do nothing but such thing as we may done rightfully and certes rightfully ye may take no vengeaunce as of your own proper authority Then may ye see that your power ne consenteth not ne accordeth not with your wilfulnesse Nowe let us examine the third point that Tullius clepeth consequence Thou shalt understond that the vengeaunce that thou purposest for to take is consequent and thereof followeth another vengeaunce perill warre and other dammages withouten number of which wee be not ware as at this time And as touching the fourth point that Tullius clepeth engendring thou shalt consider that this wrong which that is done to thee is engendred of the hate of thine enemies and of the vengeaunce taking upon hem that would engender another vengeaunce and muckell sorrow and wasting of richesse as I sayed ere Now sir as touching the fift point that Tully cleapeth causes which is the last point thou shalt understond that the wrong that thou hast received hath certain causes which that clerkes callen oryen and effycien and causa longinqua and causa propinqua that is to say the ferre cause and the nigh cause The ferre cause is almighty God that is cause of all things The
neere cause is the three enemies The cause accidentall was hate The cause material ben the five wounds of thy doughter The cause formall is the maner of their werking that brought ladders and clambe in at thy windowes The cause finall was for to slea thy doughter it letted not in as much as in them was But for to speak of the ferre cause as to what end they should come or finally what shall betide of them in this case ne can I not deme but by conjecting and supposing For we shall suppose that they shall come to a wicked end because that the booke of Decrees sayth * Seld or with great paine ben causes brought to a good end when they ben badly begun Now sir if men would aske me why that God suffred men to do you this villany Truly I cannot well answer as for no soothfastnesse For the Apostle sayeth * That the sciences and the judgements of our Lord God Almightie been full deep there may no man comprehend ne search hem Nathelesse by certain presumptions coniectings I hold beleeve that God which that is full of justice and of righteousnes hath suffred this betide by iust cause reasonable Thy name is Melibe this is to say a man that drinketh Honey Thou hast dronke so much honey of sweet temporall richesse and delices of honours of this world that thou art dronke hast forgotten Iesu Christ thy creatour Thou ne hast not doen to him such honour and reverence as thee ought ne thou ne hast not taken keepe to the words of Ovid that sayth * Vnder the Honey of the goods of thy bodie is hid the venome that slaeth thy soule And Salomon sayth * If it so be that thou hast found honey eat of the same honey that that sufficeth for if so bee that thou eat of the same honey out of measure thou shalt spewe and also be needy poore And peraventure Almightie God Iesu Christ hath thee in dispight and hath tourned away fro thee his face and his eares of misericorde mercie And also he hath suffred give licence that thou thus shouldest bee punished and chastised in the manner that thou hast trespassed offended Thou hast done sinne against our Lord Christ for certes the three enemies of mankind that is to say the flesh the fiend and the world thou hast suffered hem entre into thine heart wilfully by the windowes of thy body hast not defended thy selfe sufficiently ayenst their assaults and their temptations so that they have wounded thy soule in five places this is to say the deadly sinnes that ben entred into thy hart by thy five wits And in the same manner our Lorde Christ hath would and suffered that thy three enemies been entered into thy hous by that windowes and have wounded thy doughter in the foresaied manner Truly qd Melibe I see well that yee enforce you much by words to overcome me in such manner that I shall not venge mee on mine enemies shewing me the perils and the evils that might fall of this vengeaunce but who so would consider in all vengeances the perils evils that might sue of vengeaunce taking a man would never take vengeaunce and that were harme for by the vengeaunce taken been the wicked men discevered fro the good men And they that have will to doe wickednesse restrain their wicked purpose when they see the punishing and chastising of the trespassours yet say I moâ—e * That right as a singular person sinneth in taking vengeaunce of another man right so sinneth the judge if he doe no vengeaunce of hem that have deserved For Senecke sayeth thus * That maister he sayth is good that preveth shrews And as Cassiodore saith * A man dredeth to do outrages when he wot knoweth that it displeaseth to the Iudges and Soveraignes And another sayth * The Iudge that dreadeth to doe right maketh men shrewes Add saint Poule the Apostle sayeth in his Epistle when he writeth unto the Romanes * That the Iudge bear not the speare without-cause but they beare it to punish the shrewes and misdoers and for to defend the good men If ye woll then take vengeaunce of your enemies ye shull retourne and have your recourse to the Iudge that hath the jurisdiction upon hem and he shall punish hem as the law asketh and requireth A ha saied Melibe this vengeaunce liketh me nothing I bethink me now and take heed how that fortune hath nourished mee fro my childhood and hath holpe me to passe many a stronge paas Now I would assay her trowing with Gods helpe that she shall helpe mee my shame for to avenge TRuly saied Prudence if yee woll werke by my counsaile yee shall not assay fortune by no way ne yee shall not lean or how unto her after the words of Senecke * For things that been foolishly doen and that been done in hope of fortune shall never come to good end And as the same Senek sayth * The more clere and the more shining that fortune is the more britle the sooner broke she is Trusteth not in her for she is not stedfast ne stable For when thou trowest to be most sure stedfast of her helpe she woll faile and deceive thee And whereas ye say that fortune hath nourished you fro your childhood I say that in so much ye shall the lesse trust in her in her wit For Seneke saith * What man that is nourished by fortune she maketh him a great foole Now then sith ye desire aske vengeaunce the vengeaunce that is done after the law and before the judge ne liketh you not and the vengeaunce that is doen in hope of fortune is perillous and uncertaine then have yee none other remedie but for to haue your recourse vnto the soveraine iudge that vengeth all villanies and wrongs And he shall venge you after that himself witnesseth whereas he saith * Leave the vengeaunce to me and I shall do it Melibeus answerd if I ne venge me of the villanie that men haue doen to me I summon or warne hem that haue doen to me that villanie all other to doe me another villany For it is written * If thou take no vengeaunce of an old villany thou summonest thine aduersaries to do thee a new villanie also for my sufferaunce men would doe me so much villanie that I might neither beare it ne sustain it so should I be put and holden ouer low For men sain * In mikell suffring shal many things fall vnto thee which thou shalt not mow suffer Certes qd Prudence I graunt you that ouermuch suffraunce is not good but yet ne followeth it not thereof that euery person to whom men doe villanie should take of it vengeance for that appertaineth and longeth all onely to Iudges for they should venge the villanies and iniuries And therefore those two authorities that yee haue saied before beene onely vnderstond in the Iudges * For when they suffer ouermuch
great avarice and knoweth well that needs he must die for death is the end of every man as in this present life And for what cause or encheson joineth he him or knitteth he him so fast unto his goods that al his wits mow not discever him ne depart him fro his goods and knoweth well or ought to know that when he is dead he shall nothing bear with him out of this world And therefore saith saint Augustine * That the avaricious manne is likened unto hell that the more it swalloweth the more desire it hath to swallow and devour And as well as yee would eschew to be called an avaricious man or chinche as well should yee keepe and governe you in such a wise that menne call you not foole large Therefore saith Tullius * The goods of thine house ne should not be hid ne kept so close but that they might be opened by pity and debonairte that is to say to yeue hem part that have great need Ne thy goods should not be so open to be every mannes goods Afterward in getting of your richesses and in using hem ye shall alway have three things in your heart that is to say * Our Lord God conscience good name First ye shall have God in your heart and for no richesse yee should doe any thing which may in any manner displease GOD your creatour and maker For after the word of Salomon * It is better to have a little good with the love of GOD than to have much good and treasure and lese the love of his Lord GOD. And the Prophet saith * That better it is to be a good manne and have little good and treasure than to be holden a shrewe and have great richesse And yet I say furthermore that yee should alway doe your businesse to get you richesse so that yee get hem with good conscience And the Apostle sayeth * That there nis thing in this world of which wee should have so great joy as when our conscience beareth us good witnesse And the Wise man saith * That the substaunce of a man is full good when sinne is not in mannes conscience Afterward in getting of your richesses and in using hem yee must have great bnsinesse and great dilligence that your good name bee alway kept and conserved For Salomon saith * That better it is and more it availeth a man to have a good name than for to have many richesses And therefore he sayeth in another place * Do great diligence saith Salomon in keeping of thy friends of thy good name for it shall lenger abide with thee than any treasure be it never so precious And certes he should not be called a great Gentleman that after God good conscience all things left ne dooth his dilligence and businesse to keepe his good name And Cassiodor sayth * That it is a signe of a gentle heart when a manne loveth and desireth to have a good name And therefore sayeth saint Augustine * That there ben two things that been right necessarie and also needfull and that is good conscience and good lose that is to say good conscience to thine owne person inward and good lose for thy neighbour outward And hee that trusteth him so much in his good conscience that hee despiseth and setteth at nought his good name or lose recketh not though he keepe not his good name nis but a cruell churle Sir now haue I shewed you how ye shuld doe in getting richesses and how yee should vse hem and I see well that for the trust that ye haue in your richesses ye woll moue warre and battaile I counsaile you that ye begin no warre in trust of your richesses for they ne suffice not warres to maintaine And therefore sayeth a Philosopher * That a man that desireth and would algates haue warre shall neuer haue suffisaunce for the richer that he is the greater dispences must he make if he woll haue worship and victorie And Salomon saith * That the greater riches that a man hath the more dispendours he hath And therfore sir albeit so that for your richesses ye may haue much folke yet behooueth it not ne it is not good to begin warre whereas ye may in other manner haue peace vnto your worship and profit * For the victorie of battailes that been in this world lieth not in great number or multitude of people ne in the vertue of man but it lieth in the will and in the hond of our Lord God almightie And therfore Iudas Machabeus which was Gods knight when hee should fight against his aduersarie that had a greater number a greater multitude of folk and stronget than was his people of Machabe yet he recomforted his little companie and saied right in this wise Also lightly saied he may our Lord God Almightie yeue victorie to a fewe folke as to many folke For the victorie of a battaile commeth not by the great number of people but it commeth from our Lorde GOD of heeuen And deare sir for as much as there is no manne certaine if it be worthie that God yeue him victorie or not after that Salomon sayeth * Therefore euery man should greatly dreade warres to begin and because that in battels fall many perils and happeth other while that as soone is the great man slaine as the little man And as it is written in the second booke of Kings The deeds of battailes ben adventurous and nothing certaine for as lightly is one hurt with a speare as another and for there is great perill in warre therefore should a man flie and eschew warre in as much as a man may goodly For Salomon sayeth * Hee that loueth perill shall fall in perill After that dame Prudence had spoken in this manner Melibe answerd and said I see well dame Prudence that by your fair words and your reasons that ye haue shewed mee that the warre liketh you nothing but I haue not yet heard your counsaile how I shall doe in this need Certes said shee I counsaile you that ye accorde with your aduersaries and that yee haue peace with hem For saint Iames sayth in his Epistle * That by concorde peace small riches wexe great and by debate and discorde riches decay And yee know well that one of the greatest moste soueraigne thing that is in this world is vnity peace And therefore sayeth our Lord Iesu Christ to his Apostles in this wise * Well happy beene they that loue purchase peace for they be called the children of God Ah saied Melibe now see I well that ye loue not mine honour ne my worship ye know well that mine aduersaries haue begun this debate and brige by their outrage And yee see well that they ne require ne pray me of peace ne they aske not to be reconciled Woll ye then that I goe meeke me obey me to hem and crie hem mercie Forsoth that were not my worship * For right as men say
before And therefore if yee woll that men doe your obeisaunce ye must demeane you more cuteously that is to say Ye must yeue most easie sentences and iudgement For it is written * He that most courteously commandeth to him men must obey And therefore I pray you that in this necessitie and in this need ye cast ye to ouercome your heart For as Senek saith * Hee that ouercommeth his heart ouercommeth twise And Tullie saith * There is nothing so commendable in a great lord as when he is debonaire and meek appeaseth him lightly And I pray you that ye woll now forbeare to do vengeaunce in such a manner that your good name may be kept and conserued and that men may haue cause and matter to praise you of pite and mercy and that ye haue no cause to repent you of thing that is done For Seneke saieth * He ouercommeth in an euill maner that repenteth him of his victory Wherefore I pray let mercy be in your hert to the effect entent that God almightie haue mercy vpon you in his last iudgment For saint Iames saith in his Epistle * Iudgement without mercy shall be doe to him that hath no mercy of another wight When Melibe had heard the great skilles and reasons of dame Prudence and her wise informations and teachings his heart gan encline to the will of his wife considering her true entent confirmed him anon assented fully to worke after her counsaile and thanked God of whom proceedeth all goodnesse and vertue that him had sent a wife of so great discretion And when the day came that his aduersaries should appeare in his presence hee spake to hem goodly and said in this wise All be it so that of your pride and high presumption and follie and of your negligence and vnconning yee haue misborne you and trespassed vnto mee yet for as mikell as I see and behold your great humilitie and that ye be sory and repentant of your giltes it constraineth mee to doe you grace and mercy Wherefore I receiue you to my grace and foryeue you holy all the offences iniuries wronges that yee haue doen ayenst mee and mine to theffect and ende that God of his endles mercie woll at the time of our dying foryeue vs our giltes that we haue trespassed to him in this wretched world For doubtlesse if we be sory and repentant for the sinnes and giltes which we haue trespassed in the sight of our Lorde God hee is so free and so merciable that he woll foryeue vs our giltes and bring vs to the blisse that neuer shall haue end Amen ¶ The Monkes Prologue WHen ended was the tale of Melibee And of Prudence and her benignite Our host saide as I am faithfull man And by the precious corps Madrian I had leuer then a barell of ale That Goodlefe my wife had heard this tale For she nothing is of such patience As was this Melibeus wife Prudence By Gods bones when I bete my knaues She bringeth me the great clubbed staues And cryeth slee the dogs euerichone And break of them both backe and bone And if that any neighbour of mine Woll not in Church to my wife incline Or bee so hardie to her to trespace When she cometh home she rampeth in my face And cryeth false coward wreke thy wife By corpus domini I woll haue thy knife And thou shalt haue my distaffe and go spin Fro day till night she woll thus begin Alas she saith that euer she was shape To wed a milkesop or a coward ape That woll be ouerleide with euery wight Thou darest not stond by thy wiues right This is my life but if that I woll fight And out at doore anone I mote me dight And els I am lost but if that I Be like a wilde lion foole hardy I wote well she woll doe me slee some day Some neighbour or other then go my way For I am perillous with knife in honde All be it that I dare not her withstonde For she is bigge in armes by my faith That shall he finde that her misdoth or saith But let vs passe away from this mattere My lord he said sir Monk be mery of chere For ye shall tell vs a tale truely Lo Rochester stondeth here fast by Ride forth mine own lord breke not our game But by my troth I know not your name Wheder I shall call you my lord Dan Iohn Dan Thomas Dan Robert or Dan Albon Of what house be ye by your father kin I vow to God thou hast a full faire chin It is a gentle pasture there thou gost Thou art not like a pinaunt or a ghost Vpon my faith thou art some officere Some worthy Sexten or some Celerere For by my fathers soule as to my dome Thou art a maister when thou art at home No poore cloisterer ne no poore nouice But a gouernour both ware and wise And therewithall of brawne and bones A well faring person for the nones I pray to God yeue him confusion That first thee brought into religion Thou woldest be a trede foule aright Hadst thou as great leaue as thou hast might To performe all thy lust in ingendrure Thou haddest begotten many a creature Alas why wearest thou so wide a cope God yeue me sorow and I were Pope Not onely thou but euery mightie man Though he were shore high vpon his pan Should haue a wife for all this world is lorn Religion hath take vp all the corn Of treding and borell men ben shrimps * Of feble trees ther commeth wretched imps This maketh that our heires be so slender And feeble that they may not well engender This make that our wiues woll assay Religious folke for that they may pay Of Venus payments better than mow we For God wote no lussheburghs payen ye But be not wroth my lord though I play * Full oft in game a sooth haue I heard say This worthy Monke took al in patience And said I woll do my diligence As ferre as souneth into honestie To tell you a tale ye two or three And if ye list to herken hitherward I woll you saine the life of saint Edward Or els tragidies first I woll tell Of which I haue an hundred in my cell Tragedie is to tell a certaine story As old bookes vs maken memorie Of hem that stood in great prosperitie And be fallen out of hie degree In to miserie and ended wretchedly And they ben versified commonly Of six feet which men call exemetron In prose eke ben endighted many on And in mitre many a sundry wise Lo this ought inough you to suffice Now herkeneth if you list for to here But first I beseech you in this matere Though I by order tell not these things Be it of Popes Emperours or kings After her ages as men written finde But tell hem some before and some behinde As it commeth now to my remembrance Haue me excused of mine ignorance ¶ The Monkes Tale. A
his hert By God I had rather than my shert That ye haue herd his legend as haue I. Dame Pertelot I say to you truly Macrobius that writeth the auision In Affrick of the worthy Scipion Affirmeth dremes and sayeth that they been Warning of things that we after seen And furthermore I pray you looketh well In the old Testament of Daniel If he held dreames for vanitee Reade eke of Ioseph and there shall ye see Whether dremes ben sometime but I say not all Warning of things that after shall fall Looke of Egipt the king that hight Pharao His baker and his butteler also Wheder they felt none effect in dremes Who so woll seeke acts of sundry remes May rede of dreames many a wonder thing Lo Cresus which that was of Lide king Mette he not that he sat vpon a tree Which signified he should honged bee Lo Andromacha that was Hectors wife That day that Hector should lese his life She dreamed in the same night beforne How the life of Hector should be lorne If that day he went vnto battaile She warned him but it might not auaile He went for to fight neuerthelesse But he was slaine anone of Achilles But that tale is all too long to tell And eke it is nigh day I may not dwell Shortely I say as for conclusion That I shall haue of this auision Aduersity and I say furthermore That I ne tell of laratiues no store For they ben venomous I wot it wele I hem defie I loue hem neuer adele But let vs speke of mirth stint all this Madame Perrelot so haue I blis Of one thing God hath me sent large grace For when I see the beautie of your face Ye ben so scarlet red about your eyen It maketh all my dread for to dien * For all so siker as In principio Mulier est hominis confusio Madame the sentence of this latine is Woman is mans joy and his blis For when I fele on night your soft side Albeit that I may not on you ride For that our perch is made so narrow alas I am so full of joy and of solas That I defie both sweuen and dreme And with that word he flew doun fro the beme For it was day and eke the hennes all And with a chucke he gan hem for to call For he had found a corne lay in the yerd Royall he was and no more aferd He feddred Pertelot twenty time And trode her eke as oft ere it was prime He looketh as it were a grim lioun And on his toes he romed vp and doun Him deigned not set his feet to the ground He chucked when he had a corne yfound And to him then ran his wiues all As royall as a prince in his hall Leaue I this chaunteclere in his posture And after woll I tell of his aduenture When yâ— month in which the world began that hight March in which God first made man Was complete and passed were also Sith March began thirtie dayes and two Befell that Chaunteclere in all his pride His seven wiues walking him beside Cast vp his eyen to the bright sunne That in the signe of Taurus was irunne Twenty degrees and one somewhat more He knew by kind and by none other lore that it was prime crew with a blisfull steuen The sunne he said is clombe vp to heuen Forty degrees one somewhat more iwis Madame Pertelot my worlds blis Herken how these blisfull birds sing And see the fresh floures how they gan spring Full is mine heart of reueli and sollas But suddainely him fell a sorrowfull caas * For euer the latter end of joy is wo God wote worldly joy is soone ago And if a rethore coud faire endite He in a chronicle might safely write As for a soueraine notabilite Now euery wise man herken to me This story is all so true I vndertake As is the booke of Launcelot du lake That women holden in full great reuerence Now woll I turne ayen to my sentence A col foxe full of sleight and iniquitee That in the groue had wonned yeares three By high imagination aforne cast The same night through the hedge brast Into the yerd there Chaunteclere the faire Was wont and eke his wiues to repaire And in a bed of wortes still he lay Till it was passed vndren of the day Waiting his time on Chaunteclere to fall As gladly done these homicides all That in await lie to murder men O false murder rucking in thy den O new Scariot and new Gauilion O false dissimuler O Greeke Sinon That broughtest Troy vtterly to sorrow O Chaunteclere accursed be the morrow That thou in thy yerd flew from the bemes Thou were full well warned by thy dremes That ilke day was perillous to thee But what that God afore wote must needs bee After the opinion of certaine clerkis Witnesse of him that any clerk is That in schole is great altercation In this matter and great disputation And hath been of an hundred thousand men But I ne cannot boult it to the bren As can the holy doctour saint Austin Or Boece or the bishop Bradwardin Whether that Gods worthy foreweting Straineth me needly to doe a thing Needly clepe I simple necessite Or if the free choice be graunted me To do the same thing or do it nought Though God forewot it or it was wrought Or of his weting streineth neuer a dele But by necessitie condicionele I woll not haue to done of such matere My tale is of a cocke as ye shall here That took his counsaile of his wife with sorrow To walke in the yerd vpon the morrow That he had met the dreme as I you told * Womens counsailes been often full cold Womens counsaile brought vs first to wo And made Adam fro paradice to go There as he was full merry well at ease But for I not whom I might displease If I counsaile of women would blame Passe ouer I said it in my game Redeth authors where they trete of such mattere And what they say of women ye mow here These ben the Cockes words and not mine I can of women no harme deuine Faire in the sond to bath her merely Lieth Pertelot and all her susters by Ayenst the sunne and Chaunteclere so free Sung merrier than the Mermaid in the see For Phisiologus sayeth vtterly How that they singen well and merely And so befell as he cast his eie Among the wortes on a butterflie He as ware of the foxe that lay full low Nothing then list him for to crow But cried cocke cocke and vp he stert As one that was affraid in his hert For naturally beasts desireth to flee Fro her contrarie if he may it see Tho he neuer erst had seene it with his eie This chaunteclere when he gan him espie He would haue fled but the foxe anone Said gentle sir alas what woll ye done Be ye afraid of me that am your friend Now certes I were
noise shall ye make But euer crie ayenst tempest and raine In token that through thee my wife is slaine And to the crow he stert and that anon And pulled of his white fethers euerychon And made him black reft him of all his song And eke his speech out at doore him slong Vnto the deuill which I him betake And for this cause been all crowes blake Lordings by this ensample I wol you pray * Beware and take kepe what I say Ne telleth neuer no man in your life How that another man hath dight his wife He woll you hate mortally certain Dan Salomon as wise Clerkes sain Teacheth a man to keepe his tong well But as I saied I am not textuell But nathelesse thus taught me my dame My sonne thinke on the crowe a Gods name My sonne kepe wel thy tong kepe thy frend A wicked tong is worse then a fend My sonne from a fende men may hem blesse My sonne God of his endlesse goodnesse Walled a tong with teeth and lippes eke For man should him auise what he speke * My sonne full oft for too mikell speach Hath many a man be spilt as Clerkes teach But for little speech spoken auisedly Is no man shent to speake generally My sonne thy tong shouldest thou restrain At all times but when thou doest thy pain To speake of God in honour and prayere The first vertue sonne if thou wolt lere Is to restrain and kepe well thy tong Thus learne Children when they be yong * My sonne of mikell speaking vnauised There lesse speaking had inough suffised Cometh mikell harme thus was me taught In much speech there sinne wanteth naught Woste thou wherefore a rakell tong serueth Right as a sword forcutteth and forkerueth An arme on two my dere sonne right so A tongue cutteth friendship all atwo A iangler is to God abhominable Rede Salomon so wise and honourable Rede David in his Psalmes rede Seneck My sonne speake not ne with thy head beck * Dissimule as thou were deafe if that thou here The janglour speaketh of perlous mattere The Flemming saieth learn if that thou lest * That little jangling causeth much rest * My sonne If thou no wicked word hast said Thee dare not drede for to be bewraid But he that hath missaied I dare well saine He may by no way clepe his word againe Thing that is saied is sayed forth it goth Though him repent or be never so loth He is thrall to him to whom he hath saied A tale for which he is now evill apaied * My sonne beware and be none authour new Of tidings whether they be fals or trew Where so thou come among high or low Keepe well thy tong and thinke on the crow ¶ The Plowmans Prologue THe Plowman plucked up his plowe When Midsummer Moone was comen in And sayed his beastes should eat ynowe And lieg in the grasse up to the chin They been feeble both Oxe and Cowe Of hem nis left but bone and skin He shoke off shere and coulter off drowe And honged his harneis on a pin He tooke his tabard and his staffe eke And on his head he set his hat And saied he would saint Thomas seeke On pilgrimage he goth forth plat In scrippe he bare both bread and leekes He was forswonke and all forswat Men might have seene through both his chekes And euery wang tooth and where it sat Our hoste beheld well all about And saw this man was Sonne ybrent He knew well by his senged snout And by his clothes that were to rent He was a man wont to walke about He was not alway in cloyster ypent He could not religiousliche lout And therefore was he fully shent Our hoste him asked what man art thou Sir quoth he I am an hine For I am wont to goe to plow And earne my meat ere that I dine To swette and swinke I make auow My wife and children therewith to find And serve God and I wist how But we leaud men been full blind For clerkes say we shullen be faine For her livelod swette and swinke And they right nought vs giue againe Neither to eat ne yet to drinke They mowe by law as they saine Vs curse and damne to hell brinke Thus they putten us to paine With candles queint and bells clinke They make us thrals at her lust And saine we mow not els be saued They haue the corne and we the dust Who speaks thereagaine they say he raued What man qd our host canst thou preach Come neere and tell us some holy thing Sir quoth he I heard ones teach A priest in pulpit a good preaching Say on quoth our host I thee beseech Sir I am ready at your bidding I pray you that no man me reproch While that I am my tale telling ¶ The Plowmans Tale. A complaint against the Pride and Covetousness of the Clergy made no doubt by Chaucer with the rest of his Tales For I have seen it in written hand in John Stowes Library in a Book of such Antiquity as seemeth to have been written near to Chaucer's time ASterne strife is stirred newe In many steedes in a stound Of sundry seeds that been sewe It seemeth that some been unsound For some be great growne on ground Some been soukle simple and small Whether of hem is falser found The falser foule mote him befall That one side is that I of tell Popes Cardinals and Prelates Parsons Monkes and Freres fell Priours Abbots of great estates Of heauen and hell they keep the yates And Peters successours they been all This is deemed by old dates But falshed foule mote it befall The other side ben poore and pale And people put out of prease And seeme caitiues sore a cale And euer in one without encrease Icleped lollers and londlese Who toteth on hem they ben vntall They ben araied all for the peace But falshed foule mote it befall Many a countrey have I sought To know the falser of these two But euer my travaile was for nought All so ferre as I have go But as I wandred in a wro In a wood beside a wall Two foules saw I sitten tho The falser foule mote him befall That one did plete on the Popes side A Griffon of a grimme stature A Pellicane withouten pride To these lollers laied his lure He mused his matter in measure To counsaile Christ ever gan he call The Griffon shewed a sharpe fuyre But falshed foule mote it befall The Pellicane began to preach Both of mercie and of meekenesse And saied that Christ so gan us teach And meeke and merciable gan blesse The Euangely beareth witnesse A lambe he likeneth Christ ouer all In tokening that he meekest was Sith pride was out of heauen fall And so should euery Christened be Priestes Peters successours Beth lowliche and of low degree And vsen none earthly honours Neither croune ne curious couetours Ne pillour ne other proud pall Ne nought to cofren vp great
treasours For falshed foule mote it befall Priestes should for no cattell plede But chasten hem in charite Ne to no battaile should men lede For inhaunsing of her owne degree Nat wilne firting in high see Ne soueraignty in hous ne hall All wordly worship defie and flee For who willeth highnes foule shal fall Alas who may such saints call That wilneth welde earthly honour As low as Lucifere such shal fall In balefull blacknesse to builden her boure That eggeth the people to errour And maketh them to hem thrall To Christ I hold such one traitour As low as Lucifer such one shall fall That willeth to be kings peeres And higher than the Emperour And some that were but poore Freres Now wollen waxe a warriour God is not her gouernour That holdeth no man his permagall While couetise is her counsailour All such falshed mote need fall That high on horse willeth ride In glitterande gold of great array Ipainted and portred all in pride No common knight may go so gay Chaunge of clothing euery day With golden girdles great and small As boistous as is Beare at bay All such falshed mote need fall With pride punisheth they the poore And some they sustaine with sale Of holy church make they an hore And filleth her wombe with wine and ale With money fill they many a male And chaffren churches when they fall And telleth the people a leaud tale Such false faitours foule hem befall With chaunge of many manner meates With song and solas sitting long And filleth her wombe and fast fretes And from the meat to the gong And after meat with harpe and song And ech man mote hem Lords call And hote spices euer among Such false faitours foule hem fall And miters mo than one or two Ipearled as the queenes head A staffe of gold and perrie lo As heauie as it were made of lead With cloth of gold both new and redde With glitterande gold as greene as gall By dome they damne men to dedde All such faitours foule hem fall And Christs people proudly curse With broad boke and braying bell To put pennies in her purse They wol fell both heauen and hell And in her sentence and thou wilt dwell They willen gesse in her gay hall And thou the sooth of hem will tell In great cursing shalt thou fall That is blessed that they blesse And cursed that they curse woll And thus the people they oppresse And haue their lordships at full And many be marchaunts of wull And to purse pennies woll come thrall The poore people they all to pull Such false faitours foule hem fall Lords also mote to hem loute Obeysaunt to her brode blessing The riden with her royall route On a courser as it were a king With saddle of gold glittering With curious harness quaintly crall it Stirrops gay of gold mastling All such falshed foule befall it Christes ministers clepen they beene And rulen all in robberie But Antichrist they seruen clene Attired all in tyrannie Witnesse of Iohns prophecie That Antichrist is her admirall Tiffelers attired in trecherie All such faitours foule hem fall Who saith that some of hem may sinne He shall be dome to be ded Some of hem woll gladly winne All ayenst that which God forbed All holiest they clepen her head That of her rule is regall Alas that euer they eaten bread For all such falshed wol foule fall Her head loueth all honour And to be worshiped in word and dede Kings mote to hem kneele and coure To the Apostles that Christ forbede To popes hestes such taketh more hede Than to keepe Christs commaundement Of gold and silver mote been her wede They holdeth him hole omnipotent He ordaineth by his ordinaunce To parish priestes a powere To another a greater auaunce A greater point to his mistere But for he is highest in earth here To him reserves he many a point But to Christ that hath no pere Reserves he neither o pin ne point So seemeth he above all And Christ above him nothing When he sitteth in his stall He damneth and saveth as him thinke Such pride tofore God doth stinke An angel had Iohn to him not kneele But onely to God doe his bowing Such willers of worship must need evil feele They ne clepen Christ but sanctus deus And clepen her head Sanctissimus They that such a sect sewis I trowe they taken hem amisse In earth here they have her blisse Her high maister is Beliall Christes people from hem wisse For all such false will foule fall They mowe both binde and lose And all is for her holy life To save or damne they mow chose Betweene hem now is great strife Many a man is killed with knife To wete which of hem haue lordship shall For such Christ suffred wounds five For all such falshed will foule fall Christ said Qui gladio percutit With swerd surely he shall die * He had his priests peace and grith And bad hem not drede for to die And bad them he both simple and slie And carke not for no cattell And trusteth on God that sitteth on hie For all false shall full foule fall These wollen make men to swere Ayenst Christes commaundement And Christes members all to tere On roode as he were new yrent Such lawes they maken by common assent Each one it throweth as a ball Thus the poore be fully shent But euer falshed foule it befall They vsen no simonie But sellen churches and priories Ne they usen no enuie But cursen all hem contraries And hireth men by daies and yeares With strength to hold hem in her stall And culleth all her adversaries Therefore falshed foule thou fall With purse they purchase personage With purse they paynen hem to plede And men of warre they woll wage To bring her enemies to the dede And lords liues they woll lede And much take and giue but small But he it so get from it shall shede And make such false right foule fall They halow nothing but for hire Church ne font ne vestement And make orders in every shire But priestes pay for the parchment Of riotours they taken rent Therewith they smere the shepes skall For many Churches ben oft suspent And all such falshed foule it fall Some liueth not in lecherie But haunt wenches widowes and wiues And punisheth the poore for putree Them selfe it vseth all their liues And but a man to them him shrives To heuen come he neuer shall He shall be cursed as be caitiues To hell they saine that he shall fall There was more mercy in Maximien And in Nero that neuer was good Than is now in some of them When he hath on his furred hood They follow Christ that shed his blood To heauen as buckette into the wall Such wretches ben worse than wood And all such faitours foule hem fall They give her almes to the riche To mainteynours and men of lawe For to lords they well be liche An harlots sonne not
done these bauds Certes these been cursed sins Vnderstond also that aduoutrie is set gladly in the ten commaundements between theft and manslaughter for it is the greatest theft that may be for it is theft of body of soul and it is like an homicide for it kerueth atwo and breaketh atwo hem that first were made of one flesh And therefore by the old law of God they should be slaine but nathelesse by the law of Iesu Christ that is law of pity when he said to the woman that was found in auoutrie and should haue bee slayne with stones after the will of the Iewes as was her law Go said Iesu Christ and haue no more will to do sin Soothly the vengeance of auoutrie is awarded to the pains of Hell but if so be that it be disturbed by penitence Yet been there mo speces of this cursed sin as when that one of hem is religious or els both or of folk that ben entred into order as sub-Deacon Deacon or Priest or Hospitaliers euer the higher that he is in order the greater is the sin The things that greatly agredge her sin is the breaking of her auow of chastity when they receiued the order And moreouer sooth is that holy order is cheefe of all the treasorie of God and his especiall sign and mark of chastity to shew that they beene joyned to chastity which is the most precious life that is and these ordered folk ben specially titled to God and of the special meine of God for which when they done deadly sinne they been the traitors of God and of his people for they liue of the people Priestes been Angels as by the dignitie of her mysterie but forsooth Saint Poul saith That Sathanas transfourmeth him in an Angell of light Soothly the Priest that haunteth deadly sinne he may be likened to the Angel of darkenesse transformed into the Angell of light He seemeth Angell of light but forsooth he is Angel of darknesse Such Priests be the sonnes of Hely as sheweth in the book of Kings that they were the sons of Beliall that is the Diuell Beliall is to say without judge and so fare they hem thinketh they be free and haue no judge no more than hath a free Bull that taketh which Cow that him liketh in the town So fare they by women for right as one free Bull is ynough for all a town right so is a wicked Priest corruption ynough for all a parish or for all a countrey These Priests as sayth the booke ne cannot minister the mystery of Priesthood to the people ne they knowe not God they ne held hem not apayed as saith the book of sodden flesh that was to hem offered but they took by force y◠flesh that was raw Certes so these shrews ne held hem not apayed of rosted and sodde flesh with which the people fedde hem in great reuerence but they woll haue raw flesh of folkes wiues and her doughters and certes these women that consent to her harlottrie done great wrong to Christ and to holy Church all Hallowes and all Soules for they bireaue all these hem that should worship Christe and holye Church and pray for Christian Souls and therefore haue such Priests her lemmans also that consent to her lecherie the cursing of all the court Christian till they come to amendment The third spece of auoutrie is sometime betwixt a manne and his wife and that is when they take no regard in her assembling but onely to her fleshly delight as saith Saint Ierom and ne reckon of nothing but that they ben assembled because they ben married all is good ynough as they thinke but in such folke hath the Diuell power as said the Angel Raphael to Tobie for in her assembling they put Iesu Christ out of her heart and yeue hemselfe to all ordure The fourth spece is the assembly of hem that ben of one affinity or else of hem with which her fathers or her kinred have dealed in the sin of lechery This sinne maketh hem like to houndes that take no kepe to kinrede And certes parentele is in two manners either ghostly or fleshly ghostly as for to deal with his godsib for right so as he that engendreth a child is his fleshly father right so is his Godfather his father espirituell for which a woman may in no lesse sinne assemble with her Godsib than with her owne fleshly father The fifth spece is that abhominable sinne of which abhominable sinne no man vnneth ought speake ne write nathelesse it is openly rehearsed in holy writ This cursed sin doen men and women in diverse entent and in divers manner But though that holy writ speake of horrible sinne certes holy writ may not be defoyled no more than the sunne that shineth on the dunghill Another sinne appertaineth to lechery that commeth sleeping and this sin commeth often to hem that been maidens and also to hem that be corrupt and this sinne men call Pollution that commeth of three manners Sometime of languishing of body for the humours been too rank and habundant in the body of man sometime of infirmity for feblenes of the vertue retentife as physicke maketh mention Sometime for surfet of meat and drink and sometime of villainous thoughts that been enclosed in mannes mind when he goeth to sleepe which may not be without sinne for whiche men must keepe hem wisely or else may men sin full greevously ¶ Remedium contra peccatum Luxuriae NOw cometh the remedy ayenst lechery and that is general chastite and continence that restrain all disordinate mevings that come of fleshly talents And euer the greater merite shall he have that most restraineth the wicked chausinges of the ordour of this sin and this is in two manners That is to say chastite in mariage chastite in widdowhood Now shalt thou vnderstonde that matrimony is leful assembling of man and woman that receiuen by vertue of this Sacrament the bonde through whiche they may not be departed in all her life that is to say while that they live both This as saith the book is a full great sacrament God made it as I have said in paradise wold himselfe be borne in mariage and for to hallow mariage he was at a wedding whereas he tourned water into wine which was the first miracle that he wrought in earth before his disciples True effecte of marriage clenseth fornication and replenisheth holy Church of good linage for that is the end of mariage and chaungeth deadly sin into veniall sin between hem that been wedded and maketh the hearts as one of hem that been wedded as well as the bodies Very mariage was established by God ere that sinne began when natural lawe was in his right point in Paradice And it was ordained that o man should haue but o woman and o woman but o man as sayeth saint Augustine by many reasons First for mariage is figured betwixt Christ and holy Church Another is for a man is
fiend in hell The first of hem is called Pride That other arrow next him beside It was cleped Villanie That arrow was as with fellonie Envenimed and with spitous blame The third of hem was cleped Shame The fourth Wanhope cleped is The fift the New thought ywis These arrowes that I speake of here Were all five on one mannere And all were they resemblable To hem was well sitting and able The foule crooked bow hidous That knottie was and all roinous That bow seemed well to shete The arrowes five that been unmete And contrary to that other five But though I tell not as blive Of her power ne of her might Hereafter shall I tellen right The sooth and eke signifiaunce As ferre as I have remembraunce All shall be saied I undertake Ere of this booke an end I make Now come I to my tale againe But aldersirst I woll you saine The fashion and the countenaunces Of all the folke that on the daunce is The God of Love jolife and light Led on his hond a Ladie bright Of high prise and of great degre This Ladie called was beaute And an arrow of which I told Full well thewed was she hold Ne she was derke ne browne but bright And cleare as the Moone light Againe whom all the Starres semen But small candles as we demen Her flesh was tender as dewe of floure Her cheare was simple as bird in boure As white as Lilly or Rose in rise Her face gentle and treatise Fetis she was and small to see No wintred browes had shee Ne popped here for it needed nought To winder her or to paint her ought Her tresses yellow and long straughten Vnto her heeles downe they raughten Her nose her mouth and eye and cheke Well wrought and all the remnaunt eke A full great sauour and a swote Me thought in mine heart rote As helpe me God when I remember Of the fashion of euery member In world is none so faire a wight For young she was and hewed bright Sore pleasant and fetis with all Gent and in her middle small Beside beauty yede Richesse An high Ladie of great noblesse And great of price in euery place But who so durst to her trespace Or till her folke in werke or dede He were full hardie out of drede For both she helpe and hinder may And that is not of yesterday That rich folke haue full great might To helpe and eke to greue a wight The best and greatest of valour Didden Richesse full great honour And busie weren her to serue For that they would her loue deserue They cleped her Ladie great and small This wide world her dredeth all This world is all in her daungere Her court hath many a losengere And many a traitour enuious That ben full busie and curious For to dispraise and to blame That best deseruen loue and name To forne the folke hem to begilen These losenge ours hem preise and smilen And thus the world with word annointen But afterward they prill and pointen The folke right to the bare bone Behind her backe when they ben gone And foule abaten folkes prise Full many a worthy man and wise Han hindred and idoen to die These losengeours with her flatterie And maketh folke full straunge be There as hem ought ben priue Well euill mote they thriue and thee And euill ariued mote they bee These losengeours full of enuie No good man loueth her companie Richesse a robe of purple on had Ne trow not that I lie or mad For in this world is none it liche Ne by a thousand deale so riche Ne none so faire for it full wele With Orfreis laied was euery dele And purtraid in the ribanings Of Dukes stories and of Kings And with a bend of gold tassiled And knops fine of gold amiled About her necke of gentle entaile Was shet the rich Cheuesaile In which there was full great plente Of stones clere and faire to se Richesse a girdle had vpon The bokell of it was of ston Of vertue great and mokell of might For who so bare the stone so bright Of venim durst him nothing doubt While he the stone had him about That stone was greatly for to loue And till a rich mans behoue Worth all the gold in Rome and Frise The Mourdant wrought in noble gise Was of a stone full precious That was so fine and vertuous That whole a man it couth make Of palsie and of toothake And yet the stone had such a grace That he was seker in euery place All thilke day not blind to beene That fasting might that stone seene The barres were of gold full fine Vpon a tissue of Sattine Full heauie great and nothing light In eueriche was a besaunt wight Vpon the tresses of Richesse Was set a circle of noblesse Of brend gold that full light shone So faire trow I was neuer none But he were cunning for the nones That could deuise all the stones That in that circle shewen clere It is a wonder thing to here For no man could preise or gesse Of hem the value or richesse Rubies there were Saphirs Ragounces And Emeraudes more than two vnces But all before full subtilly A fine Carbuncle set saw I The stone so cleare was and so bright That all so soone as it was night Men might seene to go for nede A mile or two in length and brede Such light sprang out of the stone That Richesse wonder bright shone Both her head and all her face And eke about her all the place Dame Richesse on her hond gan lede A yong man full of semely hede That she best loued of any thing His lust was much in housholding In clothing was he full fetise And loued well to haue hors of prise He wend to haue reproued be Of theft or murder if that he Had in his stable an hacknay And therefore he desired aye To been acquainted with Richesse For all his purpose as I gesse Was for to make great dispence Withouten warning or defence And Richesse might it well sustaine And her dispences we le maintaine And him alway such plentie send Of gold and siluer for to spend Without lacking or daungere As it were pourde in a garnere And after on the daunce went Largesse that set all her entent For to ben honorable and free Of Alexanders kinne was shee Her most joy was ywis When that she yafe and saied haue this Not Auarice the foule caitife Was halfe to gripe so ententife As Largesse is to yeue and spend And God alway ynowe her send So that the more she yaue away The more iwis she had alway Great loos hath Largesse and great prise For both wise folke and vnwise Were wholly to her bandon brought So well with yefts hath she wrought And if she had an enemy I trowe that she couth craftely Make him full soone her friend to be So large of yefts and wise was she Therefore she stood in loue and grace Of rich and poore
ye will Your wordes wast in idlenesse For utterly withouten gesse All that ye saine is but in vaine Me were lever die in the paine That love to me ward should arette Falshed or treason on me sette I woll me get pris or blame And Love true to save my name Who that me chastiseth I him hate With that word Reason went her gate When she saw for no sermoning She might me fro my folly bring Then dismayed I left all soole Forwearie forwandred as a foole For I ne knew ne cherisaunce Then fell into my remembraunce How love bad me to purvey A fellow to whome I might sey My counsaile and my privite For that should much auaile me With that bethought I me that I Had a fellow fast by True and siker courteous and hend And he called was by name a Frend A true fellow was no where none In hast to him I went anone And to him all my woe I told Fro him right nought I would withhold I told him all without were And made my complaint on Daungere How for to sey he was hidous And to me ward contrarious The which through his cruelte Was in point to have meimed me With Bialacoil when he me sey Within the gardin walke and pley Fro me he made him for to goe And I be left alone in woe I durst no longer with him speake For Daunger sayd he would be wreake When that he saw how I went The fresh bothum for to hent If I were hardie to come nere Betweene the haie and the Rosere This Friend when he wist of thought He discomforted me right nought But saied fellow be nat so madde Ne so abashed nor bestadde My selfe I know full well Daungere And how he is fierce of chere At prime temps Love to manace Full oft I have beene in his case A felon first though that he be After thou shalt him souple see Of long passed I knew him wele Vngodly first though men him fele He woll meeke after in his bearing Been for seruice and obeissing I shall thee tell what thou shalt do Meekely I rede thou go him to Of heart pray him specially Of thy trespace to haue mercy And hote him well here to please That thou shalt neuer more him displease * Who can best serue of flattery Shall please Daunger most vtterly My Friend hath saied to me so wele That he me easeli hath somedele And eke allegged of my tourment For through him had I hardement Againe to Daunger for to go To preue if I might meeke him so TO Daunger came I all ashamed The which aforne me had blamed Desiring for to pease my wo But ouer hedge durst I not go For he forbode me the passage I found him cruell in his rage And in his hond a great bourdoun To him I kneeled low adoun Full meeke of port and simple of chere And saied sir I am comen here Onely to aske of you mercy It greeueth me full greatly That euer my life I wrathed you But for to amend I am come now With all my might both loud and still To doen right at your owne will For Loue made me for to do That I haue trespassed hiderto Fro whom I ne may withdraw mine hart Yet shall I neuer for ioy ne smart What so befall good or ill Offend more againe your will Leuer I haue endure disease Than doe that should you displease IYou require and pray that ye Of me haue mercy and pite To stint your ire that greueth so That I woll sweare for euermo To be redressed at your liking If I trespace in any thing Saue that I pray thee graunt me A thing that may nat warned be That I may loue all onely None other thing of you aske I I shall doen all ywis If of your grace ye graunt me this And ye may not letten mee For well wote ye that loue is free And I shall louen such that I will Who euer like it well or ill And yet ne would I not for all Fraunce Doe thing to doe you displeasaunce Then Daunger fell in his entent For to foryeue his male talent But all his wrath yet at last He hath released I praide so fast Shortly he saied thy request Is not too mockell dishonest Ne I woll not werne it thee For yet nothing engreeueth mee For though thou loue thus euermore To me is neither soft ne sore Loue where that thee list what retcheth me So ferre fro my Roses be Trust not on me for none assaie In any time to passe the haie Thus hath he graunted my prayere Then went I forth withouten were Vnto my friend and told him all Which was right ioyfull of my tale He saied now goeth well thine affaire He shall to thee be debonaire Though he aforne was dispitous He shall hereafter be gracious If he were touched on some good veine He should yet rewen on thy peine Suffer I rede and no boast make Till thou at good mes maist him take * By suffraunce and by words soft A man may ouercome oft Him that aforne he had in drede In bookes soothly as I rede Thus hath my friend with great comfort Auaunced me with high disport Which would me good as much as I And then anon full sodainely I tooke my leave and streight I went Vnto the hay for great talent I had to seene the fresh bothom Wherein lay my saluation And Daunger tooke keepe if that I Keepe him couenaunt truely So sore I drede his manasing I durst not breake his bidding For least that I were of him shent I brake not his commaundement For to purchase his good will It was for to come there till His mercy was too ferre behind I kept for I ne might it find I complained and sighed sore And languished euermore For I durst nat ouergo Vnto the Rose I loued so Throughout my deming vtterly That he had knowledge certainly Then Loue me ladde in such wise That in me there was no feintise Falshood ne no trecherie And yet he full of villanie Of disdaine and crueltie On me ne would haue pitie His cruell will for to refraine Tho I wept alway and me complaine ANd while I was in this turment Were come of grace by God sent Fraunchise and with her Pity Fulfilde the bothum of bounty They go to Daunger anon right To ferther me with all her might And helpe in word and in deed For well they saw that it was need First of her grace dame Fraunchise Hath taken of this emprise She saied Daunger great wrong ye do To worche this man so much wo Or pinen him so angerly It is to you great villauy I cannot see why ne how That he hath trespassed againe you Saue that he loveth wherefore ye shold The more in charitie of him hold The force of love maketh him do this Who would him blame he did amis He leueth more than he may do His paine is hard ye may see lo And Love in no wise would
Richesse or preise through his valour Provende rent or dignite Full fast iwis compassen we By what ladder he is clomben so And for to maken him downe to go With treason we woll him defame And doen him lese his good name Thus from his ladder we him take And thus his frends foes we make But word ne wete shall he none Till all his friendes been his fone For if we did it openly We might have blame readily For had he wist of our mallice He had him kept but he were nice Another is this that if so fall That there be one among vs all That doeth a good tourne out of drede We saine it is our alder dede Yea sikerly though he it fained Or that him list or that him dained A man through him avaunced be Thereof all parteners be we And tellen folke where so we go That man through vs is sprongen so And for to have of men praising We purchase through our flattering Of rich men of great poste Letters to witnesse our bounte So that man weeneth that may vs see That all vertue in vs bee And alway poore we vs faine But how so that we begge or plaine We ben the folke without leasing That all thing have without having Thus be dradde of the people iwis And gladly my purpose is this I deale with no wight but he Have gold and treasour great plente Her acquaintaunce well love I This much my desire shortly I entremete me of brocages I make peace and mariages I am gladly executour And many times a procuratour I am sometime messangere That falleth not to my mistere And many times I make enquest For me that office is nat honest To deale with other mens thing That is to me a great liking And if that ye have ought to do In place that I repaire to I shall it speden through my wit As soone as ye have told me it So that ye serve me to pay My service shall be yours alway But who so woll chastice me Anone my love lost hath he For I love no man in no gise That woll me reprove or chastise But I woll all folke vndertake And of no wight no teaching take For I that other folke chastie Woll not be taught fro my follie I Love none Hermitage more All deserts and holtes hoore And great woods everychon I let hem to the Baptist Iohn I queth him quite and him relesse Of Egipt all the wildernesse Too ferre were all my mansiouns Fro all cities and good touns My paleis and mine house make I There men may renne in openly And say that I the world forsake But all amidde I build and make My house and swim and play therein Bette than a fish doeth with his sinne OF Antichristes men am I Of which that Christ sayeth openly They have habite of holinesse And liven in such wickednesse To the copie if him talent tooke Of the Evangelistes booke There might he see by great traisoun Full many a false comparisoun As much as through his great might Be it of heat or of light The Sunne surmounteth the Moone That troubler is and chaungeth soone And the nutte kernell the shell I scorne nat that I you tell Right so withouten any gile Surmounteth this noble Evangile The word of any Evangelist And to her title they tooken Christ And many such comparisoun Of which I make no mentioun Might men in that booke find Who so could of hem have mind The vniversitie that tho was asleepe Gan for to braied and taken keepe And at the noise the head vp cast Ne never sithen slept it fast But vp it stert and armes tooke Ayenst this false horrible booke All ready battaile for to make And to the Iudge the booke they take But they that broughten the booke there Hent it anone away for feare They nolde shew it no more adele But then it kept and keepen wele Till such a time that they may see That they so strong woxen bee That no wight may hem well withstond For by that booke they durst not stond Away they gonne it for to here For they ne durst not answere By exposition no glose To that that clerkes woll appose Ayenst the cursednesse iwis That in that booke written is Now wote I nat ne I can nat see What manner end that there shall bee Of all this that they hide But yet algate they shall abide Till that they may it bette defend This trow I best woll be her end Thus Antechrist abiden we For we been all of his meine And what man that woll not be so Right soone he shall his life forgo Outward Lamben seemen we Full of goodnesse and of pite And inward we withouten fable Been greedy Wolves ravisable We enviroun both lond and see With all the world werrien wee We woll ordaine of all thing Of folkes good and her living If there be castell or cite Within that any bougerons be Although that they of Millaine were For thereof been they blamed there Or of a wight out of measure Would lene her gold and take vsure For that he is so covetous Or if he be too lecherous Or these that haunten Simonie Or Provost full of trecherie Or Prelate living iollily Or Priest that halt his quein him by Or old hoores hostillers Or other baudes or bordellers Or els blamed of any vice Of which men shoulden doen iustice By all the saints that we prey But they defend them with lamprey With luce with elis with samons With tender geese and with capons With tartes or with cheffes fat With daintie flaunes brode and flat With caleweis or with pullaile With coninges or with fine vitaile That we vnder our clothes wide Maken through our gollet glide Or but he woll doe come in hast Rae venison bake in past Whether to that loure or groine He shall have of a corde a loigne With which men shall him bind and lede To brenne him for his sinfull dede That men shull heare him crie and rore A mile way about and more Or els he shall in prison die But if he woll his friendship buy Or smerten that that he hath do More than his guilt amounteth to But and he couth through his sleight Doe maken vp a toure of height Nought rought I whether of stone or tree Or yearth or turves though it be Though it were of no vounde stone Wrought with squier and scantilone So that the toure were stuffed well With all riches temporell And then that he would vp dresse Engines both more and lesse To cast at vs by every side To beare his good name wide Such sleights I shall you yeven Barrels of wine by sixe or seven Or gold in sackes great plente He should soone delivered be And if he have no such pitences Let him studie in equipolences And let lies and fallaces If that he would deserve our graces Or we shall beare him such witnesse Of sinne and of his wretchednesse And doen his lose so wide renne That
all quicke we should him brenne Or els yeve him soch pennaunce That is well worse than the pitaunce * For thou shalt never for nothing Con knowen aright by her clothing The traitours full of trecherie But thou her werkes can espie And ne had the good keeping be Whylome of the vniversite That keepeth the key of Christendome We had been tourmented all and some Such been the stinking Prophetis Nis none of hem that good Prophet is For they through wicked entention The yeare of the incarnation A thousand and two hundred yere Five and fiftie ferther ne nere Broughten a booke with sorrie grace To yeven ensample in common place That saied thus though it were fable This is the Gospell perdurable That fro the holy ghost is sent Well were it worth to be brent Entitled was in such manere This booke of which I tell here There nas no wight in all Paris Beforne our Ladie at parvis That they ne might the booke by The sentence pleased hem well truely But I woll stint of this matere For it is wonder long to here But had that ilke booke endured Of better estate I were ensured And friends have I yet pardee That han me set in great degree OF all this world is Emperour Guile my father the trechour And Empresse my mother is Maugre the holy ghost iwis Our mightie linage and our rout Reigneth in every reigne about And well is worthy we ministers be For all this world governe we And can the folke so well deceive That none our guile can perceive And though they doen they dare not say The sooth dare no wight bewray But he in Christes wrath him leadeth That more than Christ my brethren dredeth He nis no full good champion That dreadeth such similation Nor that for paine woll refusen Vs to correct and accusen He woll not entremete by right Ne have God in his eyesight And therefore God shall him punice But me ne recketh of no vice Sithen men vs loven communably And holden vs for so worthy That we may folke repreve echone And we nill have reprefe of none Whom shoulden folke worshippen so But vs that stinten never mo To patren while that folke may vs see Though it not so behind hem be ANd where is more wood follie Than to enhaunce chivalrie And love noble men and gay That iolly clothes wearen alway If they be such folke as they seemen So cleane as men her clothes demen And that her wordes follow her dede It is great pitie out of drede For they woll be none Hypocritis Of hem me thinketh great spight is I cannot love hem on no side But beggers with these hoods wide With sleigh and pale faces leane And gray clothes nat full cleane But fretted full of tatarwagges And high shoes knopped with dagges That frouncen like a quale pipe Or bootes riveling as a gipe To such folke as I you devise Should princes and these lords wise Take all her lands and her things Both warre and peace in governings To such folke should a prince him yeve That would his life in honour live And if they be nat as they seme They serven thus the world to queme There would I dwell to deceive The folke for they shall nat perceive But I ne speake in no such wise That men should humble habite dispise So that no pride there vnder be No man should hate as thinketh me The poore man in such clothing But God ne preiseth him nothing That saieth he hath the world forsake And hath to worldly glory him take And woll of such delices vse Who may that begger well excuse That papelarde that him yeeldeth so And woll to worldly ease go And saieth that he the world hath left And greedily it gripeth eft He is the hound shame is to saine That to his casting goeth againe BVt vnto you dare I not lie But might I feelen or espie That ye perceived it nothing Ye should have a starke leasing Right in your hond thus to beginne I nolde it let for no sinne The God lough at the wonder tho And every wight gan lough also And saied lo here a man right For to be trustie to every wight FAlse Semblant qd Love say to mee Sith I thus have avaunced thee That in my court is thy dwelling And of ribaudes shalt be my king Wolt thou well holden my forwardes Yea sir from hence forwardes We woll a people vpon him areise And through our guile doen him ceise And him on sharpe speares riue Or other waies bring him fro liue But if that he woll follow ywis That in our booke written is THus much woll our booke signifie That while Peter had maistrie May never Iohn shew well his might Now have I you declared right The meaning of the barke and rinde That maketh the entencions blinde But now at erst I woll begin To expoune you the pith within And the seculers comprehend That Christs law woll defend And should it kepen and maintainen Ayenst hem that all sustenen And falsly to the people teachen That Iohn betokeneth hem to preachen That there nis law couenable But thilke Gospell perdurable That fro the holy ghost was sent To turne folke that ben miswent The strength of Iohn they vnderstond The grace in which they say they stond That doeth the sinfull folke conuert And hem to Iesu Christ reuert Full many another horriblee May men in that booke see That been commaunded doubtlesse Ayenst the law of Rome expresse And all with Antichrist they holden As men may in the booke beholden And then commaunden they to sleen All tho that with Peter been But they shall never have that might And God toforne for strife to fight That they ne shall ynough find That Peters law shall have in mind And euer hold and so mainteen That at the last it shall be seen That they shall all come thereto For aught that they can speake or do And thilke law shall not stond That they by Iohn have vnderstond But maugre hem it shall adoun And been brought to confusioun Had never your father here beforne Seruaunt so true sith he was borne That is ayenst all nature Sir put you in that auenture For though ye borowes take of me The sikerer shall ye never be For hostages ne sikernesse Or chartres for to beare witnesse I take your selfe to record here That men ne may in no manere Tearen the Wolfe out of his hide Till he be slaine backe and side Though men him beat and all defile What wene ye that I woll beguile For I am clothed meekely There vnder is all my trechery Mine heart chaungeth never the mo For none habite in which I go Though I have chere of simplenesse I am not wearie of shreudnesse My lemman strained Abstenaunce Hath mister of my purueiaunce She had full long ago be ded Nere my counsaile and my red Let her alone and you and mee And Love answerd I trust thee Without borow for
or loude Now dare she not her selfe solace Ye han also the man doe chase That he dare neither come ne go What mooveth you to hate him so But properly your wicked thought That many a false lesing hath thought That mooveth your foule eloquence That iangleth ever in audience And on the folke ariseth blame And doth hem dishonour and shame For thing that may have no preuing But likelinesse and contriuing * For I dare saine that Reason deemeth It is not all sooth thing that seemeth And it is sinne to controue Thing that is to reproue This wote ye wele and sir therefore Ye arne to blame the more And nathelesse he recketh lite He yeueth not now thereof a mite For if he thought harme parfaie He would come and gone all daie He coud himselfe not absteine Now commeth he not and that is sene For he ne taketh of it no cure But if it be through aventure And lasse than other folke algate And thou her watchest at the gate With speare in thine arest alwaie There muse musard all the daie Thou wakest night and day for thought Iwis thy trauaile is for nought And Iealousie withouten faile Shall never quite thee thy trauaile And skath is that faire Welcoming Without any trespassing Shall wrongfully in prison be There weepeth and languisheth he And though thou never yet iwis A giltest man no more but this Take not a greefe it were worthy To put thee out of this Baily And afterward in prison lie And fettred thee till that thou die For thou shalt for this sinne dwell Right in the Diuels arse of Hell But if that thou repent thee Maifaie thou lyest falsely qd he What welcome with mischaunce now Have I therefore herboured you To say me shame and eke reproue With sorrie happe to your behoue Am I to day your herbegere Go herber you elsewhere than here That han a lyer called me Two tregetours art thou and he That in mine house doe me this shame And for my soothsaw ye me blame Is this the Sermon that ye make To all the Diuels I me take Or else God thou me confound But er men didden this Castle found It passeth not ten dayes or twelue But it was told right to my selue And as they sayd right so told I He kist the Rose priuily Thus sayd I now and have sayd yore I not where he did any more Why should men say me such a thing If it had been gabbing Right so saide I and woll say yet I trow I lyed not of it And with my bemes I woll blow To all neighbours arrow How he hath both commen and gone Tho spake false Semblant right anone * All is not Gospell out of dout That men saine in the towne about Lay no defe eare to my speaking I swere you sir it is gabbing I trow you wote well certainly That no man loveth him tenderly That sayth him harme if he wote it All be he never so poore of wit And sooth is also sikerly This know ye sir as well as I That Lovers gladly woll visiten The places there her loves habiten This man you loveth and eke honoureth This man to serve you laboureth And clepeth you his freind so deere And this man maketh you good cheere And euerie man that you meeteth He you saleweth and he you greeteth He preseth not so oft that ye Ought of his comming encombred be There presen other folke on you Full ofter than he doeth now And if his heart him strained so Vnto the Rose for to go Ye should him seene so oft need That ye should take him with the deed He coud his comming not forbeare Though ye him thrilled with a speare It nere not then as it is now But trusteth well I sweare it you That it is cleane out of his thought Sir certes he ne thinketh it nought No more ne doth Faire Welcomming That sore abieth all this thing And if they were of one assent Full soone were the Rose hent The maugre yours would be And sir of o thing hearkeneth me Sith ye this man that loveth you Han sayd such harme and shame now Witteth well if he gessed it Ye may well demen in your wit He nolde nothing love you so Ne callen you his friend also But night and day he woll wake The Castle to destroy and take If it were sooth as ye de vise Or some man in some manner wise Might it warne him everidele Or by himselfe perceive wele For sith he might not come and gone As he was whilom wont to done He might it soone wite and see But now all otherwise wote hee Then have we sir all vtterly Deserved Hell and iollyly The death of Hell doubtlesse That thrallen folke so guiltlesse False Semblant so prooveth this thing That he can none answering And seeth alwaie such apparaunce That nigh he fell in repentaunce And sayd him sir it may well be Semblant a good man seemen ye And Abstinence full wise ye seeme Of a talent you both I deeme What counsaile woll ye to me yeven Right here anon thou shalt be shriven And say thy sinne without more Of this shalt thou repent sore For I am Priest and have poste To shrive folke of most dignite That ben as wide as world may dure Of all this world I have the cure And that had yet never persoun Ne vicarie of no manner toun And God wote I have of thee A thousand times more pitee Than hath thy Priest parochiall Though he thy friend be speciall I have avauntage in o wife That your Priests be not so wise Ne halfe so lettred as am I I am licensed boldly In Divinitie for to read And to confessen out of dread If ye woll you now confesse And leave your sinnes more and lesse Without abode kneele doune anon And you shall have absolution ¶ Here after followeth the Booke of Troilus and Creseide In this excellent Book is shewed the fervent love of Troylus to Creiseid whom he enjoyed for a time and her great untruth to him again in giving herself to Diomedes who in the end did so cast her off that she came to great misery In which discourse Chaucer liberally treateth of the divine purveyance THE double sorrow of Troilus to tellen That was Kinge Priamus Sonne of Troy In loving how his aventures fellen From woe to wele and after out of ioy My purpose is er that I part froy Thou Thesiphone thou helpe me for tendite These wofull verses that wepen as I write To thee I clepe thou Goddesse of tourment Thou cruell furie sorrowing ever in paine Helpe me that am the sorrowfull instrument That helpeth Lovers as I can complaine * For well sit it the sooth for to saine A wofull wight to have a drery feare And to a sorrowfull tale a sorie cheare For I that God of Loves servaunts serve Ne dare to Love for mine vnlikelynesse Prayen for speed all should I therefore sterve So farre am I fro his helpe in
alway and in such feare Least any wight divinen or devise Would of hem two or to it lay an eare That all this world so lefe to hem ne were As that Cupide would hem his grace send To maken of her speech right an end But thilke little that they spake or wrought His wise ghost tooke aye of all such hede It seemed her he wist what she thought Withouten word so that it was no nede To bid him aught to doen or aught forbede For which she thought that love all come it late Of all joy had opened her the yate And shortly of this processe for to pace So well his werke and words he beset That he so full stood in his ladies grace That twenty thousand times ere she let She thonked God she ever with him met So could he him governe in such servise That all the world ne might it bet devise For she found him so discreet in all So secret and of such obeisaunce That well she felt he was to her a wall Of steel and shield of every displeasaunce That to been in his good governaunce So wise he was she was no more afered I meane as ferre as aught ben requered And Pandarus to quicke alway the fire Was ever ilike prest and diligent To ease his friend was set all his desire He shone aye on he to and fro was sent He letters bare when Troilus was absent That never man as in his friendes nede Ne bare him bet than he withouten drede But now peraventure some man waiten would That every word or sond looke or chere Of Troilus that I rehearcen should In all this while unto his lady dere I trow it were a long thing for to here Or of what wight that stant in such disjoint His words all or every looke to point Forsooth I have not herd it done ere this In story none ne no man here I wene And though I would I could not iwis For there was some epistle hem betwene That would as saith mine autor wel contene Ny half this boke of which him list not write How should I then a line of it endite But to the great effect then say I thus That stonden in concord and in quiete This ilke two Creseide and Troilus As I have told and in this time swete Save onely often might they not mete Ne leisure have her speeches to fulfell That it befell right as I shall you tell That Pandarus that ever did his might Right for the fine that I shall speake of here As for to bringen to his house some night His faire nece and Troilus ifere Where as at leiser all this high matere Touching her love were at yâ— full up bound Had out of doubt a time to it found For he with great deliberation Had every thing that thereto might availe Forne cast and put in execution And nether left for cost ne for travaile Come if hem list hem should nothing faile And for to ben in aught aspied there That wist he well in impossible were Dredelesse it clere was in the wind Of every pie and every let game Now all is well for all the world is blind In this matter both fremed and tame * This timber is all ready up to frame Vs lacketh naught but that we weten wouldd A certaine houre in which she comen shoul And Troilus that all this purveyaunce Knew at the full and waited on it aye And hereupon eke made great ordinaunce And found his cause therwith his arraye If that he were missed night or day They thought there while he was about this servise That he was gone to done his sacrifice And must at soch a temple alone wake Answered of Apollo for to be And first to sene the holy laurer quake Er that Apollo spake out of the tree To tellen him next whan Greeks should flie And for thy let him no man God forbede But pray Apollo helpe in this nede Now is there litell more for to done But Pandare up and shortly for to saine Right sone upon the chaunging of the Mone Whan lightlesse is the world a night or twaine And that the welken shope him for to raine He streight a morow unto his nece went Ye have well herde the fine of his entent When he was comen he gan anon to play As he was wont and of himselfe to yape And finally he swore and gan her say By this and that she should him not escape No lenger done him after her to gape But certainly she must by her leve Come soupen in his house with him at eve At which she lough gan her first excuse And said it raineth lo how should I gone Let be qd he ne stonde not thus to muse This mote be don ye shal come there anone So at the last hereof they fell at one Or els fast he swore her in her eere He nolde never comen there she were Sone after this she to him gan rowne And asked him if Troilus were there He swore her nay for he was out of towne And said nece I suppose that he were there You durst never thereof have the more fere For rather than men might him there aspie Me were lever a thousand folde to die Naught list mine auctour fully to declare What that she thought whan as he said so That Troilus was out of towne ifare And if he said thereof soth or no But that withouten awaite with him to go She graunted him sith he her that besought And as his nece obeyed as her ought But nathelesse yet gan she him besech Although with him to gone it was no fere For to beware of gofisshe peoples spech That dremen things which that never were And wel avise him whom he brought there And said him eme sens I must on you trist Loke al be wel and do now as you list He swore her this by stockes and by stones And by the Goddes that in heven dwell Or els were him leaver soule and bones With Pluto king as depe ben in Hell As Tantalus what should I more tell Whan al was wel he rose and toke his leve And she to souper came whan it was eve With a certaine number of her own men And with her faire nece Antigone And other of her women nine or ten But who was glad now who as trowe yee But Troilus that stode and might it see Throughout a litel window in a stewe Ther he beshet sith midnight was in mewe Vnwist of every wight but of Pandare But to the point now when that she was come With al ioy and al her frendes in fare Here Eme anon in armes hath her nome And then to the souper al and some Whan as time was full softe they hem set God wot there was no deinte ferre to fet And after souper gonnen they to rise At ease well with hart full fresh and glade And wel was him that coude best devise To liken her or that her laughen made He songe
in this manere And thus fortune a time ladde in ioie Creseide and eke this kinges son of Troie In suffisaunce in blisse and in singings This Troilus gan all his life to lede He spendeth justeth and maketh feestings He geveth frely oft and chaungeth wede He helde about him alway out of drede A world of folke as come him well of kind The freshest and the best he coulde find That such a voice was of him and a steven Throughout the world of honour largesse That it vp ronge vnto the yate of Heven And as in love he was in such gladnesse That in his hart he demed as I gesse That there nis lover in this world at ease So wel as he and thus gan love him please The goodlihede or beaute which the kind In any other lady had isette Can not yâ— mountenaunce of a gnat vnbind About his hert of al Creseides nette He was so narowe imasked and iknette That is vndon in any maner side That nil nat ben for aught that may betide And by the honde ful ofte he would take This Pandarus and into gardin lede And such a feest and such a processe make Him of Creseide and of her womanhede And of her beaute that withouten drede It was an heven his wordes for to here And then he would sing in this manere Love that of erth sea hath governaunce Love that his heestes hath in heven hie Love that with an holsome aliaunce Halte people ioyned as him list hem gie Love that knitteth lawe and companie And couples doth in vertue for to dwell Binde this accord that I have told and tell That yâ— the world with faith which that is stable Diverseth so his stoundes according That elements that be the discordable Holden a bonde perpetually during That Phebus mote his rosy day forth bring And yâ— the mone hath lordship over yâ— nights Al this doeth love aie heried be his mights That that the sea that greedy is to flowen Constraineth to a certaine ende so His floods that so fiercely they ne growen To drenchen earth and all for evermo And if that love aught let his bridle go All that now loveth asunder should lepe And lost were all that love halt now to hepe So would to God that authour is of kind That with his bond love of his vertue list To searchen hearts all and fast bind That from his bond no wight yâ— wey out wist And hearts cold hem would I that hem twist To maken hem love that list hem aie rew On hearts sore and keep hem that ben trew In all needs for the townes werre He was and aye the first in armes dight And certainely but if that bookes erre Save Hector most idradde of any wight And this encrease of hardinesse and might Come him of love his ladies thanke to win That altered his spirit so within In time of truce on hauking would he ride Or els hunt Bore Beare or Lioun The small beasts let he gon beside And when yâ— he come riding into the toun Full oft his lady from her window doun As fresh as faucon comen out of mue Full redely was him goodly to salue And most of love vertue was his speech And in dispite had all wretchednesse And doubtlesse no need was him beseech To honouren hem that had worthinesse And easen hem that weren in distresse And glad was he if any wight well ferde That lover was when he it wist or herde For sooth to saine he lost held every wight But if he were in loves high servise I meane folke that aught it ben of right And over all this so well could he devise Of sentement and in so vncouth wise All his array that every lover thought That al was wel what so he said or wrought And though that he be come of blood roiall Him list of pride at no wight for to chace Benigne he was to ech in generall For which he gate him thank in every place Thus wolde love iheried by his grace That Pride and Ire Envie and Avarice He gan to flie and every other vice Thou lady bright the doughter of Diane Thy blind and winged son eke dan Cupide Ye sustren nine eke that by Helicone In hill Pernaso listen for to abide That ye thus ferre han deined me to gide I can no more but sens that ye woll wend Ye heried ben for aye withouten end Through you have I said fully in my song Theffect and ioy of Troilus servise All be that there was some disease among As mine authour listeth to devise My third booke now end I in this wise And Trolius in lust and in quiete Is with Creseide his owne heart swete Explicit liber tertius BVt all too little welaway the while Lasteth such ioy ithonked bee fortune That seemeth truest when she woll begile And can to fooles her song entune That she hem hent yâ— blent traitor commune * And when a wight is from her whele ithrow Then laugheth she maketh him the mowe From Troilus she gan her bright face Away to writhe and tooke of him none hede And cast him clene out of his ladies grace And on her whele she set vp Diomede For which mine hert right now ginneth blede And now my pen alas with which I write Quaketh for drede of that I must endite For how Creseide Troilus forsooke Or at the least how that she was vnkind Mote henceforth ben matter of my booke As writen folk through which it is in mind Alas that they should ever cause find To speake her harme and if they on her lie Iwis hemselfe should have the villanie O ye Herines nightes doughters three That endlesse complaine ever in paine Megera Alecto and eke Tesiphonee Thou cruell Mars eke father of Quirine This ilke fourth booke helpe me to fine So that the loos and love and life ifere Of Troilus be fully shewed here Incipit liber quartus LIgging in host as I have said ere this The Greekes strong about Troy toun Befell that when that Phebus shining is Vpon the breast of Hercules Lion That Hector with many a bold Baron Cast on a day with Greekes for to fight As he was wont to greve hem what he miÈt Not I how long or short it was bitwene This purpose that day they fighten ment But on a day well armed bright and shene Hector and many a worthy knight out went With speare in hond and big bowes bent And in the berde withouten lenger lette Her fomen in the field anone hem mette The long day with speares sharpe iground With arrows darts swerds and maces fell They fight bringen horse man to ground And with her axes out the braines quell But in the last shoure sooth to tell The folke of Troy hem selven so misleden That with yâ— worse at night home they fleden At which day was taken Anthenor Maugre Polimidas or Monesteo Xantippe Sarpedon Palestinor Polite or eke the Troyan dan Rupheo
mine ease eke woxen hell is My joy in wo I can sey now nought ellis But tourned is for which my life I warie Every joy or ease in his contrarie which with your coming home ayen to Troy Ye may redresse and more a thousand sithe Than ever I had encreasen in me joy For was there never hart yet so blithe To save his life as I shall ben as swithe As I you see and though no manner routh Can meuen you yet thinketh on your trouth And if so be my gilt hath death deserved Or if you list no more vpon me see In guerdon yet of that I have you served Beseeeh I you mine owne lady free That herevpon ye woulden write me For love of God my right lodesterre That death may make an end of al my werre If other cause aught doth you for to dwell That with your letter ye may me recomfort For though to me your absence is an hell With patience I woll my wo comfort And with your letter of hope I woll disport Now writeth swete let me thus nat plaine With hope or death delivereth me fro paine Iwis mine owne dere hert trew I wote that when ye next vpon me see So lost have I mine heale eke mine hew Creseide shall not conne knowen me Iwis mine herts day my lady free So thursteth aye mine hert to behold Your beautie that vnneth my life I hold I say no more all have I for to sey To you well more than I tell may But whether that ye do me live or dey Yet pray I God so yeve you right good day And fareth well goodly faire fresh May As ye that life or death me may commaund And to your trouth aye I me recomaund With heale such that but ye yeven me The same heale I shall none heale have In you lieth when you list that it so be The day in which me clothen shall my grave And in you my life in you might for to save Me fro disease of all my paines smart And fare now well mine owne sweet hart La vostre T. This letter forth was sent vnto Creseide Of which her answere in effect was this Full pitously she wrote ayen and seide That all so soone as she might iwis She would come amend all that was amis And finally she wrote and saied then She would come ye but she nist when But in her letter made she such feasts That wonder was and swore she loved him best Of which he found but bottomlesse bihests But Troilus thou mayst now East West * Pipe in an Iuie leafe if that thee lest Thus goth the world god shild vs fro mischaunce And every wight that meaneth trouth avaunce Encreasen gan the wo fro day to night Of Troilus for tarying of Creseide And lessen gan his hope and eke his might For which all doun he in his bedde him leide He ne eat dronke ne slept ne word seide Imagining aye that she was vnkind For which wel nigh he wext out of his mind This dreme of which I told have eke beforne May never come out of his remembraunce He thought aye well he had his lady lorne And that Ioves of his purveyaunce Him shewed had in sleepe the signifiaunce Of her vntrouth and his disaventure And that the bore was shewed him in figure For which he for Sibille his suffer sent That called was Cassandre eke all about And all his dreame he told her ere he stent And her be sought assoilen him the dout Of the strong Bore with tuskes stout And finally within a little stound Cassandre him gan thus his dreme expound She gan first smile said O brother dere If thou a sooth of this desirest to know Thou must a few of old stories here To purpose how that fortune overthrow Hath lords old through which within a throw Thou shalt this Bore know of what kind He comen is as men in bookes find Diane which that wroth was and in ire For Greekes nolde done her Sacrifice Ne incens vpon her Alter set on fire She for that Greekes gon her so dispise Wrake her in a wonder cruell wise For with a Bore as great as oxe in stall She made vp frete her corne and vines all To slea that Bore was all the country raised Emong which there came this Bore to A maid one of this world the best ipraised And Meleager lord of that countre He loved so this fresh maiden free That with his manhood ere he would stent This Bore he slough her the hed he sent Of which as old bookes tellen vs There rose a conteke and great envie And of this lord discended Tideus By line or els old bookes lie But how this Meleager gan to die Through his mother woll I you not tell For all too long it were for to dwell She told eke how Tideus ere she stent Vnto the strong citie of Thebes To claimen kingdome of the citie went For his fellawe dan Polimites Of which the brother dan Ethiocles Full wrongfully or Thebes held that strength This told she by proesse all by length She told eke how Hemonides affart When Tideus stough fiftie knightes stout She told eke all the Prophesies by hart And how that seven kings with her rout Besiegeden the citie all about And of the holy Serpent and the well And of the furies all she gan him tell Associat profugus Tideus primo Polynicem Tidea ligatum docet insidiasque secundo Tertius Harmoniam canit vatem latitantem Quartus habet reges ineuntes praelia septem Lemniadum furiae quinto narrantur anguis Archemori bustum sexto ludique seguuntur Dat Thebis vatem Graiorum septimus umbris Octavo cecidit Tideus spes vita Pelasgum Hippomedon nono moritur cum Parthenopeo Fulmine percussus decimo Capaneus superatur Undecimo perimunt sese per vulnera fratres Argivum flentem narrat duodenus ignem Of Archinories burying and the plaies And how Amphiorax fill through the ground How Tideus was slaine lord of Argeis And how Hippomedon in a little stound Was dreint dead Parthenope of wound And also how Campaneus the proud With thunder dint was slaine yâ— cried loud She gan eke tell him how yâ— either brother Ethiocles and Polimites also At a scarmishe eche of hem slough other And of Argiues weeping and her mo And how the toun was brent she told eke tho And tho discended doun from lestes old To Diomede and thus she spake and told This like Bore betokeneth Diomede Tideus son that doun descended is Fro Meleager that made the Bore to blede And thy Lady where so she be iwis This Diomede her hert hath and she is his Weep if thou wolt or leave for out of dout This Diomede is in and thou art out Thou sayst not sooth qd he thou sorceresse With all thy false ghost of Prophecie Thou wenest been a great devineresse Now seest thou nat this foole of fantasie Painen her on
ere this That ye Creseide could have chaunged so Ne but I had agilt and done amis So cruell wend I nat your hart iwis To slea me thus alas your name of trouth Is now fordone and that is all my routh Was there none other broche you list lete To feast with your new love qd he But thilke broche that I with teres wete You yave as for a remembraunce of me None other cause alas ne had ye But for dispite and eke for that ye ment All utterly to shewen your entent Through which I see yâ— clene out of your mind Ye have me cast and I ne can nor may For all this world within mine hart find To unloven you a quarter of a day In cursed time I borne was welaway That you that done me all this wo endure Yet love I best of any creature Now God qd he me send yet the grace That I may meten with this Diomede And truely if I have might and space Yet shall I make I hope his sides blede Now God qd he that aughtest taken hede To forthren trouth and wronges to punice Why nilt thou don a vengeance of this vice O Pandarus that in dremes for to trift Me blamed hast and wont art oft upbreide Now mayst thou seen thy self if that thee list How trew is now thy niece bright Creseide In sundry formes God it wote he seide The gods shewen both joy and tene In slepe and by my dreme it is now sene And certainely withouten more speech From henceforth as ferforth as I may Mine owne death in armes woll I seech I retch nat how soone be the day But truly Creseide sweet maie Whom I have with all my might iserved That ye thus done I have it nat deserved This Pandarus that all these things herd And wist well he said a sooth of this He nat a word ayen to him answerd For sorrie of his friends sorrow he is And shamed for his nece hath done amis And stant astonied of these causes twey As still as stone o word ne could he sey But at the last thus he spake and seide My brother dere I may do thee no more What should I saine I hate iwis Creseide And God it wote I woll hate her evermore And that thou me besoughtest done of yore Having vnto mine honour ne my rest Right no regard I did all that thee lest If I did aught that might liken thee It is me lefe and of this treason now God wote that it a sorrow is to me And dredelesse for hearts ease of you Right faine I would amend it wist I how And fro this world almighty God I pray Deliver her soone I can no more say Great was the sorow plaint of Troilus But forth her course fortune aye gan hold Creseide loveth the sonne of Tideus And Troilus mote wepe in cares cold Such is this world who so it can behold * In eche estate is little harts rest God leve vs to take it for the best In many cruell battaile out of drede Of Troilus this ilke noble knight As men may in these old bookes rede Was seen his knighthood his great might And dredelesse his ire day and night Full cruelly the Grekes aye abought And alway most this Diomede he sought And oft time I find that they mette With bloody strokes and with words great Assaying how her speares were whette And God it wote with many a cruell heat Gan Troilus vpon his helme to beat But nathelesse fortune it naught ne would Of others hond that either dien should And if I had itaken for to write The armes of this ilke worthy man Then would I of his battailes endite And for that I to writen first began Of his love I have said as I can His worthy deeds who so list hem here Rede Dares he can tell hem all ifere Beseeching every lady bright of hew And every gentill woman what she be Albeit that Creseide was vntrew That for that gilt ye be nat wroth with me Ye may her gilt in other bookes see And gladder I would write if you lest Penelopes trouth and good Alceste Ne say I nat this all onely for these men But most for women that betraied be Throgh fals folk God yeve hem sorow amen That with her great wit and subtilte Betraien you and this meveth me To speake and in effect you all I pray Beth ware of men and herkeneth what I say Go little booke go my little tregedie There God my maker yet ere that I die So send me might to make some comedie But little booke make thou none envie But subject ben vnto all poesie And kisse the steps whereas thou seest pace Of Vergil Ovid Homer Lucan and Stace * And for there is so great diversite In English and in writing of our tong So pray I to God that none miswrite thee Ne thee misse metre for defaut of tong And redde where so thou be or els song That thou be vnderstond God I beseech But yet to purpose of my rather speech The wrath as I began you for to sey Of Troilus the Greekes boughten dere For thousands his honds maden dey As he that was withouten any pere Save in his time Hector as I can here But welaway save onely Goddes will Dispitously him slough the fierce Achill And when that he was slain in this manere His light ghost full blisfully is went Vp to the hollownesse of the seventh sphere In his place leting everiche element And there he saw with full avisement The erratike sterres herkening armonie With sownes full of heavens melodie And doun from thence fast he gan avise This little spot of earth that with the see Enbraced is and fully gan despise This wretched world and held all vanite To respect of the plaine felicite That is in heaven above and at the last There he was slaine his looking doun he cast And in himselfe he lough right at the wo Of hem that wepten for his death so fast And damned all our werkes that followeth so The blind lust which that may nat last And shoulden all our hart on heaven cast And forth he went shortly for to tell There as Mercurie sorted him to dwell Such fine hath lo this Troilus for love Such fine hath all his great worthinesse Such fine hath his estate royall above Such fine his lust such fine hath his noblesse Such fine hath false worldes brotelnesse And thus began his loving of Creseide As I have told and in this wise he deide O young fresh folkes he or she In which that love vp groweth with your age Repaireth home from worldly vanite And of your herts vp casteth the visage To thilke God that after his image You made and thinketh all nis but a faire This world that passeth sone as floures faire And loveth him the which yâ— right for love Vpon a crosse our soules for to bey First starfe and rose and sit in heven above For he nill falsen no
it not isee Bernarde the Monke ne saugh all parde Then mote we to bookes that we find Through which yâ— old things ben in mind And to the doctrine of the old wise Yeve credence in every skilful wise That tellen of the old appreued stories Of holines of reignes of victories Of love of hate and other sundry things Of which I may not make rehearsings * And if that old bookes were away Ilorne were of all remembraunce the kay Well ought vs then honouren beleve These bookes there we han none other preve And as for me though that I can but lite On bookes for to rede I me delite And to hem yeve I faith and full credence And in mine herte have hem in reverence So hertely that there is game none That fro my bookes maketh me to gone But it be seldome on the holy daie Save certainly when that the month of May Is comen and that I heare the foules sing And that the floures ginnen for to spring Farwell my booke and my deuocion Now have I then eke this condicion That of all the floures in the Mede Then love I most these floures white rede Soch that men callen Daisies in our toun To hem I have so great affectioun As I sayd erst when comen is the Maie That in my bedde there daweth me no daie That I nam vp and walking in the Mede To seen this floure ayenst the Sunne sprede When it vp riseth early by the morrow That blisfull sight softeneth all my sorow So glad am I when that I have presence Of it to done it all reverence As she that is of all flours floure Fulfilled of all vertue and honoure And every ilike faire and fresh of hewe And ever I love it and ever ilike newe And ever shall till that mine harte die All sweare I not of this I woll not lie There loved no wight hotter in his life And when that it is eve I renne blithe As sone as ever the Sunne ginneth West To seen this floure how it woll go to rest For feare of night so hateth she derkenesse Her chere is plainly spred in the brightnesse Of the Sunne for there it woll vnclose Alas that I ne had English rime or prose Suffisaunt this floure to praise aright But helpeth ye yâ— han conning and might Ye lovers that can make of sentement In this case ought ye be diligent To forthren me somewhat in my labour Whether ye been with the lefe or with the flour For well I wote that ye han here beforne Of making ropen and had alway the corne And I come after glening here and there And am full glad if I may find an eare Of any goodly worde that ye han left And though it happen me to rehearsen eft That ye han in your freshe songes sayd Forbeareth me and beth not euill apayd Sith that ye se I doe it in the honour Of love and eke of service of the flour Whom that I serve as I have wit or might She is the clerenesse and the very light That in this derke world me wint and ledeth The hart within my sorowfull brest you dredeth And loveth so sore that ye ben verily The maistres of my wit and nothing I My word my workes is knit so in your bonde That as an harpe obeieth to the honde And make it soune after his fingering Right so mowe ye out of mine hart bring Soch voice right as you list to laugh or pain Be ye my guide and Lady souerain As to mine yearthly God to you I call Both in this werke and my sorowes all But wherefore that I spake to yeve credence To old stories and done hem reverence And that men musten more thing bileve That men may seen at iye or els preve That shall I sein when that I see my time I may nat all atones speake in rime My busie ghost that thursteth alway new To seen this flour so yong so fresh of hew Constrained me with so gredy desire That in my harte I fele yet the fire That made me rise ere it were day And this was now the first morow of Maie With dreadfull harte and glad deuocion For to been at the resurrection Of this floure when that it should vnclose Again the Sunne that rose as redde as rose That in the brest was of the beast that day That Angenores doughter ladde away And doune on knees anon right I me sette And as I could this fresh floure I grette Kneeling alway till it vnclosed was Vpon the small soft swete gras That was with floures swete embrouded all Of such swetenesse and soch odour over all That for to speake of gomme herbe or tree Comparison may not imaked be For it surmounteth plainly all odoures And of riche beaute of floures Forgotten had the yearth his poore estate Of Winter that him naked made mate And with his sword of cloud so sore greved Now hath the attempre sunne al that releved That naked was and clad it new again The small foules of the season fain That of the panter and the net been scaped Vpon the fouler that hem made awhaped In Winter and destroied had her brood In his dispite hem thought it did hem good To sing of him and in her song dispise The foule chorle that for his couetise Had him betraied with his Sophistrie This was her song The fouler we defie And all his craft and some songen clere Laies of Love that joy it was to here In worshipping and praysing of her make And for the new blisfull Somers sake Vpon the braunches full of blosmes soft In her dilite they tourned hem ful oft And songen blissed be sainct Valentine For on his day I chese you to be mine Withouten repenting mine harte swete And therewithall her bekes gonnen mete Yelding honour and humble obeisaunce To love and didden her other observaunce That longeth vnto love and vnto nature Constre we that as you list I do no cure And tho that had done vnkindnesse As doeth the Tidife for new fanglenesse Besought mercy of her trespasing And humbly song her repenting And sworen on the blosmes to be true So that her makes would vpon hem rue And at the last maden her acorde All found they Daunger for the time a lord Yet Pite through his strong gentill might Foryave and made Mercy passen right Through Innocence and ruled Curtesie But I ne cleape it nat Innocence folie Ne false pite for vertue is the meane As Eticke sayth in soch maner I meane And thus these foule voide of all malice Acordeden to Love and laften vice Of hate and song all of one acorde Welcome Sommer our governour lorde And Zephirus and Flora gentelly Yave to the floures soft and tenderly Her swote breth and made hem for to sprede As God and Goddesse of the flourie Mede In which me thoughte I might day by daie Dwellen alway the joly month of Maie Withouten slepe withouten meat or drinke Adowne
degree That hath so littell penaunce yeven thee That hast deserved sore for to smart * But pite renneth soone in gentle hart That maist thou sene she kitheth what she is And I answerde naie sir so have I blis No more but that I see well she is good That is a trewe tale by mine hood Qd. Love and thou knowest wel parde If it be so that thou avise the Hast thou nat in a booke in thy cheste The great goodnesse of the quene Alceste That turned was into a Daiesie She that for her husband chese to die And eke to gone to hell rather than he And Hercules rescued her parde And brought her out of hel againe to blis And I answerde againe and said yes Now know I her And is this good Alceste The Daiesie and mine owne herts reste Now fele I well the goodnesse of this wife That both after her death and in her life Her great bounte doubleth her renoun Wel hath she quit me mine affectioun That I have to her floure the daiesie No wonder is though Iove her stellifie As telleth Agaton for her great goodnesse Her white corowne beareth of it witnesse For all so many vertues had she As smal florounes in her corowne be In remembraunce of her and in honour Cibilla made the daiesie and the floure I crowned al with white as men may se And Mars yave to her a corowne reed parde In stede of Rubies set among yâ— white Therewith this quene woxe reed for shame alite When she was praysed so in her presence Then said Love a full great negligence Was it to thee that ilke time thou made Hide Absolon thy tresses in balade That thou forget in thy songe to sette Sith that thou art so greatly in her dette And wost well that kalender is she To any woman that woll lover be For she taught all the craft of trewe loving And namely of wifehode the living And all the bondes that she ought keepe Thy litel witte was thilke time a sleepe But now I charge thee vpon thy life That in thy legende make of this wife When thou hast other smale imade before And fare now well I charge thee no more But er I go thus much I will the tell * Ne shal no trewe lover come in hell These other ladies sitting here a rowe Ben in my balade if thou const hem know And in thy bokes al thou shalt hem find Have hem now in thy legende al in mind I meane of hem that ben in thy knowing For here ben twenty thousand mo sitting Than thou knowest good women all And trewe of love for ought that may befall Make the metres of hem as the lest I mote gone home the sunne draweth west To paradis with all this companie And serve alway the fresh Daiesie At Cleopatras I woll that thou begin And so forth and my love so shalt thou win For let see now what man that lover be Wol done so strong a paine for love as she I wote well that thou maist nat all it rime That suche lovers did in her time It were too long to reden and to here Suffiseth me thou make in this manere That thou reherce of al her life the great After these old authours listen for to treat For who so shall so many a story tell Sey shortly or he shall to long dwell And with that worde my bookes gan I take And right thus on my legende gan I make ¶ Thus endeth the Prologue ¶ Here beginneth the legende of Cleopatras Queene of Egipt AFter the death of Ptholome the King That all Egipt had in his governing Reigned his Queene Cleopatras Till on a time bifel there such a caas That out of Rome was sent a senatour For to conqueren realmes and honour Vnto the toune of Rome as was vsaunce To have the world at her obeisaunce And soth to say Antonius was his name So fil it as fortune him ought a shame When he was fallen in prosperite Rebel vnto the toune of Rome is he And over al this the suster of Cesare He left her falsely er that she was ware And would algates han another wife For which he toke with Rome Cesar strife Nathelesse forsoth this ilke Senatour Was a full worthy gentill werriour And of his deth it was ful great damage But love had brought this man in such a rage And him so narow bounden in his laas And all for the love of Cleopatras That al the world he set at no value Him thouÈt there was nothing to him so due As Cleopatras for to love and serve Him thought that in armes for to sterve In the defence of her and of her right This noble quene eke loved so this knight Through his desert and for his chevalrie As certainly but if that bokes lie He was of person and of gentilnesse And of discretion and of hardinesse Worthy to any wight that liven may And she was faire as is the rose in Maie And for to maken shorte is the best She woxe his wife and had him as her lest The wedding and the feast to devise To me that have itake such emprise And so many a storie for to make It were to long lest that I should slake Of thing that beareth more effect charge For men may overlade a ship or barge And for thy to effect then woll I skippe And al the remnaunt I woll let it slippe Octavian that wood was of this dede Shope him an hooste on Antony to lede Al vtterly for his distruction With stoute Romaines cruell as Lion To ship they went and thus I let hem faile Antonius was ware and woll nat faile To meten with these Romaines if he may Toke eke his rede and both vpon a day His wife and he and all his host forth went To ship anone no lenger they ne stent And in the see it happed hem to mete Vp goeth the trumpe for to shoute shete And painen hem to set on with the sunne With grisly sown out goeth the great gunne And hertely they hurtlen in all at ones And fro the top doune cometh yâ— great stones In goeth the grapenel so full of crokes Among the ropes ran the shering hokes In with the polaxe preaseth he and he Behind the maste beginneth he to flee And out againe and driveth him over borde He sticketh him vpon his speares orde He rent the saile with hookes like a sith He bringeth the cup and biddeth hem be blith He poureth peesen vpon the hatches slider With pots full of lime they gone togider And thus the long day in fight they spend Till at the last as every thing hath end Antony is shent and put him to the flight And all his folke to go that best go might Fleeth eke yâ— quene with all her purple saile For strokes which yâ— went as thicke as haile No wonder was he might it nat endure And when that Antony saw that aventure Alas qd he the day that I was
then qd I that thyngs ne be not necessary by her proper nature so that they commen in all her manners in the likenesse of necessity by condicion of the diuine science Philosophy This is the difference qd she that tho thyngs which that I purposed thee a little here beforn that is to same Sunne arising and the man walking that there whiles that thilke thyngs been done they ne might not been vndone Nathelesse that one of hem or it was done it behoueth by necessity that it was done but not that other Right so it is here that the thyngs which that God hath present withouten doubt they shullen been but some of hem discendeth of the nature of thyngs as the Sunne arising and some discendeth of the power of the doers as the man walking Boetius Then said I no wrong that if these thynges bee referred to the diuine knowing then been they necessary and if they been considered by hemself then been they absolute fro the bonde of necessity Right so as all thyngs that appereth or sheweth to the wits if thou referre hem to reason it is vniuersall and if thou looke it or referre it to it selfe then is it singular But now if thou saist thus that if that it be in my power to chaungen my purpose then shall I voiden the purueyaunce of God when peraduenture I shall haue chaunged the thyngs which that he knoweth beforne Philosophy Then shall I answeren thee thus Certes thou maist well chaunge thy purpose but for as much as the present soothnesse of the diuine purueyaunce beholdeth that thou maist chaunge thy purpose and whether thou chaunge it or no and whiderward that thou tourne it thou ne maist not eschew the diuine prescience right so thou ne maist not flid the sight of the present eye although that thou tourne thy selfe by thy free will into diuers actions But thou maist sayne ayen to this thus How shall it then be shall not the diuine science ben chaunged by my disposicion when that I will one thyng now and now another thyng And thilke prescience ne see meth it not to enterchaunge stounds of knowing as who saith ne shall it not seemen to vs that the diuine prescience enterchaungeth his diuers stounds of knowing so that it know sometime one thyng and sometime it knoweth the contrary of that thing Philosophy No forsooth qd she for the diuine sight renneth beforne and seeth all the futures and clepeth hem ayen and retourneth hem to the proper prescience of his proper knowing ne he enterchaungeth not so as thou wenest the stounds of his foreknowing as now this now that but he dwelling aye commeth beforn and embraceth at o stroke all the mutacions And this prescience to comprehenden and to seen all thyngs God ne hath not taken it of the betidings of thyngs to commen but of his proper simplicity And hereby is assoiled thilke thyngs that thou puttest a little here beforne that is to sayne that it is vnworthy thyng to sayne that our futures yeven cause of the prescience of God For certes strength of the diuine science which that embraceth all thyngs by his presentary knowing establisheth manner to all thyngs and it ne oweth not to latter thyngs And sith that these thyngs ben thus that is to sain that necessity is not in thyngs by the diuine prescience then is there freedome of arbitry that dwelleth hole and vnwemmed to mortal men ne the laws ne purposen not wicked medes and pains to the willings of men that ben vnbounden and quite of all necessity * And God beholder and foreweter of all thyngs dwelleth aboue and the present eternity of sight renneth alway with the diuers quality of our deeds dispensing or ordeining medes to good men and tourments to wicked men Ne in idle ne in vain ne been there not put in God hope and prayers that ne mowen not been vnspeedfull ne without effect when they ben rightfull * Withstand then and eschew thou vices worship and love thou vertues areise thy courage to rightfull hopes yeeld thou humble prayers and high Great necessity of prowesse and of vertue is encharged and commaunded to you if ye nill not dissimulen sith that ye worchen and done that is to saine your deeds and your werks beforne the eyen of the judge that seeth and also that demeth all thyngs Deo gratias ¶ Thus endeth the Book of Boetius of the Consolation of Philosophy The Book commonly entituled Chaucer's Dream By the Person of a mourning Knight sitting under an Oak is meant John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster greatly lamenting the death of one whom he entirely loved supposed to be Blanch the Dutchess I Haue great woonder by this light How I liue for day ne night I may not sleepe welnigh nought I haue so many an idle thought Purely for default of sleepe That by my trouth I take no keepe Of nothing how it commeth or gothe To me nis nothing lefe nor lothe All is yliche good to me Ioy or sorrow where so it be For I haue feeling in nothing But as it were a mased thing All day in point to fall adoun For sorrowfull imaginacioun Is alway wholly in my mind And well ye wote against kind It were to liuen in this wise For nature would not suffise To none earthly creature Not long time to endure Without sleepe and be in sorrow And I ne may ne night ne morrow Sleepe and this melancolie And drede I haue for to die Defaut of sleepe and heauinesse Hath slaine my spirit of quickenesse That I haue lost all lustyhead Such fantasies ben in mine head So I not what is best to do But men might aske me why so I may not sleepe and what me is But nathelesse who aske this Leseth his asking truly My seluen cannot tell why The sooth but truly as I gesse I hold it be a sickenesse That I haue suffred this eight yere And yet my boot is neuer the nere For there is phisicien but one That may me heale but that is done Passe we ouer vntill eft That will not be mote needs be left Our first matter is good to keepe So when I saw I might not sleepe Now of late this other night Vpon my bed I sate vpright And bade one reach me a booke A Romaunce and he it me tooke To rede and drive the night away For me thought it better play Than either at Chesse or Tables And in this booke were written fables That Clerkes had in old time And other Poets put in rime To rede and for to be in mind While men iâ—ued the law of kind This booke ne spake but of such things Of queenes liues and of kings And many other things smale Among all this I found a tale That me thought a wonder thing This was the tale There was a king That hight Seys and had a wife The best that might beare life And this queene hight Alcione So it befell thereafter soone This king woll wenden ouer
acompted not a stre Of all my tale so thought me To tell shortly right as it is Trewly her answere it was this I can not now well countrefete Her wordes but this was the grete Of her answere she said nay All vtterly alas that day The sorow I suffered and the wo That trewly Caisandra that so Bewayled the destruction Of Troy and of Illyon Had never soch sorow as I tho I durst no more say thereto For pure feare but stale away And thus I lived full many a day That trewly I had no need Ferther than my beddes heed Never a day to seche sorrow I found it ready every morrow For why I loved in no gere So it befell another yere I thought ones I would fonde To doe her know and vnderstonde My wo and she well vnderstood That I ne wilned thing but good And worship and to keepe her name Over all things and drede her shame And was so busie her to serve And pitie were that I should sterve Sith that I wilned no harme iwis So when my Lady knew all this My Lady yave me all holly The noble yeft of her mercy Saving her worship by all ways Dredelesse I mene none other ways And therewith she yave me a ring I trowe it was the first thing But if mine harte was iwaxe Glad that it is no need to axe As helpe me God I was as blive Raised as fro death to live Of all happes the alderbest The gladdest and the most at rest For truely that swete wight When I had wrong and she the right She would alway so goodly Foryeve me so debonairly In all my youth in all chaunce She tooke in her gouernaunce Therewith she was alway so true Our joy was ever iliche newe Our hertes were so even a paire That never nas that one contraire To that other for no wo For sothe iliche they suffred tho O blisse and eke o sorow bothe Ilich they were both glad and wrothe All was vs one without were And thus we lived full many a yere So well I can not tell how Sir qd I where is she now Now qd he and stinte anone Therewith he woxe as dedde as stone And saied alas that I was bore That was the losse that here before I tolde thee that I had lorne Bethinke thee how I said here beforne Thou woste full litle what thou menest I have loste more than thou wenest God wote alas right that was she Alas sir how what may that be She is dedde Nay Yes by my trouth Is that your losse by God it is routhe And with that worde right anone They gan to strake forth all was done For that time the Harte huntyng With that me thought that this kyng Gan homeward for to ride Vnto a place was there beside Which was from vs but a lite A long castell with walles white By sainct Iohan on a rich hill As me mette but thus it fill Right thus me mette as I you tell That in the castell there was a bell As it had smitte houres twelue Therewith I awoke my selue And found me lying in my bedde And the booke that I had redde Of Alcione and Seis the kyng And of the Goddes of sleping I found it in mine hond full even Thought I this is so queint a sweven That I would by processe of tyme Fond to put this sweven in ryme As I can best and that anon This was my sweven now it is done Explicit MY master c. When of Christ our king Was asked what is troth or sothfastnesse He not a worde answerde to that asking As who saith no man is all true I gesse And therefore though I hight to expresse The sorow and wo that is in Mariage I dare not writen of it no wickednesse Lest I my selfe fall eft in soche dotage I woll not say how that it is the chaine Of Sathanas on which he knaweth ever But I dare saine were he out of his paine As by his will he would be bounden never But thilke doted foole that eft hath lever Ichayned be than out of prison crepe God let him never fro his woe discever Ne no man hym bewayle though he wepe But yet lest thou doe worse take a wife * Bet is to wedde than brenne in worse wise But thou shalt have sorow on thy flesh thy life And ben thy wives thrale as sain these wise And if that holy writ may not suffice Experience shall thee teach so may happe * Take the way leuer to be taken in Frise Than eft to fall of wedding in the trappe This little writte Prouerbes or figures I sende you take keepe of it I rede Vnwise is he that can no we le endure * If thou be siker put thee not in drede The wife of Bathe I pray you that ye rede Of this matter that we have on honde God graunt you your lyfe freely to lede In fredome for foule is to be bonde Explicit The Assembly of Fowls All Fowls are gathered before Nature on S. Valentines day to chose their makes A Formell Eagle being belov'd of three Tercels requireth a years respite to make her choice upon this trial Qui bien aime tard oublie He that loveth well is slow to forget THe Lyfe so short the craft so long to lerne Thassay so hard so sharpy the conquering The dreadful joy alway yâ— flit so yerne All this mean I by love that my feeling Astonieth with his wonderful werkyng So sore I wis that when I on him think Naught wete I wel whether I flete or sink For all be that I know not love in dede Ne wot how that he quiteth folke her hire Yet happeth me full oft in bookes rede Of his myracles and of his cruell ire There rede I well he woll be lorde and sire I dare not say his strokes be sore But God save soch a lorde I can no more Of vsage what for lust and what for lore On bookes rede I of as I you told But wherfore speake I all this naught yore Agon it happed me to behold Vpon a booke was iwritten with letters old And there vpon a certain thing to lerne The long day full fast I radde and yerne * For out of the old fieldes as men saith Commeth al this new corne fro yere to yere And out of old bookes in good faith Commeth all this new science that men lere But now to purpose as of this mattere To rede forth it gan me so delite That all that day me thought it but a lite This booke of which I make mencion Entitled was right thus as I shall tell Tullius of the dreame of Scipion Chapiters sevenâ—t had of heaven and hell And yearth and soules that therein dwell Of which as shortly as I can it treate Of his sentence I woll you saine the greate First telleth it when Scipion was come In Affricke how he meteth Massinisse That him for joy in armes hath inome Then telleth he her speach and
Without pity there may no bill availe Then leave all vertues save onely pity Keeping the corse as ye have heard me saine Confedred by hond vntill Cruelty And be assented when I shall be slaine And I have put my complaint vp againe For to my foes my bill I dare not shew The effect which saith thus in words few Humblest of heart highest of reverence Benigne floure croune of vertues all Sheweth vnto your royall excellence Your seruaunt if I durst me so call His mortall harme in which he is ifall And nought all onely for his wofull fare But for your renome as he shall declare It standeth thus yâ— your contrary crueltie Allied is ayenst your regallie Vnder colour of womanly beautie For men should not know her tyrannie With Bountie Gentillesse and Courtesie And hath depriued you of your place That is hie beautie appertenaunt to your grace For kindly by your heritage right Ye be annexed euer vnto bountie And verely ye ought to doe your might To helpe trouth in his aduersitie Ye be also the croune of beautie And certes if ye want in these twaine The world is lore there is no more to saine Eke what auaileth manner and gentillesse Without you benigne creature Shall crueltie be your gouernesse Alas what heart may it long endure Wherefore but ye rather take cure To breake that perillous alliaunce Ye sleen hem that been in your obeysaunce And further if ye suffer this Your renome is fordo in a throw There shall no man were what pitie is Alas that euer your renome is fall so low Ye be also fro your heritage ithrow By crueltie that occupieth your place And we dispaired that seeken your grace Haue mercy on me thou Herenus Queene That you haue sought so tenderly and sore Let some streame of light on me be seene That loue and drede you euer lenger yâ— more For soothly to saine I beare so sore And though I be not conning for to plaine For Gods loue haue mercy on my paine My paine is this that what so I desire That haue I not ne nothing like thereto And euer setteth desire mine hart on fire Eke on that other side where that I go What maner thing yâ— may encrease my wo That haue I ready vnsought euery where Me lacketh but my death and then my bere What needeth to shew percell of my paine Sith euery wo that hart may bethinke I suffer and yet I dare not to you plaine For well I wore though I wake or winke Ye recke not whether I flete or sinke And nathelesse yet my trouth I shall susteine Vnto my death and that shall well be sene This is to saine I will be yours euer Though ye me slea by crueltie your fo Algate my spirit shall neuer disceuer Fro your seruice for any paine or wo Sith ye be yet dead alas that it is so Thus for your death I may wepe and plaine With hart sore and full of busie paine La belle Dame sans Mercie M. Aleyn Secretary to the King of France framed this Dialogue between a Gentleman and a Gentlewoman who finding no mercy at her hand dieth for sorrow HAlse in a dreame not fully well awaked The golden sleep me wrapped vnder his wing Yet not for thy I rose and well nigh naked All suddainly my selfe remembring Of a matter leauing all other thing Which I must doe withouten more delay For hem which I durst not disobay My charge was this to translate by by All thing forgiue as part of my pennance A book called La bel dame sans mercy Which Maister Aleine made of remembrance Cheefe secretarie with the king of France And hereupon a while I stood musing And in my selfe greatly imagining What wise I should perform the said processe Considering by good aduisement My vnconning and my great simplenesse And ayenward the strait commaundement Which that I had and thus in mine entent I was vexed and tourned vp and doun And yet at last as in conclusioun I cast my clothes on and went my way This forsaid charge hauing in remembrance Till I came to a lustie greene vallay Full of floures to see a great pleasaunce And so boldly with their benigne suffraunce Which rede this book touching this matere Thus I began if it please you to here NOt long agoe riding an easie paas I fell in thought of joy full desperate With great disease and paine so that I was Of all louers the most vnfortunate Sith by his dart most cruell full of hate The death hath take my Lady and maistresse And left me sole thus discomfite and mate Sore languishing and in way of distresse Then said I thus it falleth me to cesse Either to rime or dities for to make And I surely to make a full promesse To laugh no more but wepe in clothes blake My joifull time alas now doeth it slake For in my selfe I feele no manner of ease Let it be written such fortune as I take Which neither me nor none other doth please If it were so my will or mine entent Constrained were a joyfull thing to write My pen coud neuer know what it ment To speak thereof my tongue hath no delite Tho with my mouth I laugh much or lite Mine eien shuld make a countenance vntrue My heart also would haue thereof dispite The weeping teares haue so large issue These sick louers I leue that to hem longs Which lead their life in hope of allegeance That is to say to make Ballades and songs Euery of hem as they feel their greuaunce For she that was my joy and my pleasaunce Whose soule I pray God of his mercy saue She hath my will mine hearts ordinaunce Which sieth here within this tombe ygraue Fro this time forth time is to hold my pees It wearieth me this matter for to trete Let other louers put hemselfe in prees Their season is my time is now forgete Fortune by strength the forcer hath vnshete Wherein was sperde all my worldly richesse And all the goods which that I haue gete In my best time of youth and lustinesse Loue hath me kept vnder his gouernance If I misdid God graunt me forgiuenesse If I did well yet felt I no pleasance It caused neither joy nor heauinesse For when she died that was my maistresse My welfare then made the same purchase The death hath shet my bonds of witnesse Which for nothingmine hart shal neuer pase In this great thought sore troubled in mind Alone thus rode I all the morrow tide Till at the last it happed me to find The place wherein I cast me to abide When that I had no further for to ride And as I went my lodging to puruay Right soone I heard a little me beside In a garden where minstrels gan to play With that anon I went me backer more My selfe and I me thought we were inow But twain yâ— were my friends here before Had me espied and yet I wore not how They came for me awayward I
request With hert and will all that might be done As vntill her that might redresse it best For in her mind there might she find it soone The remedy of that which was her boone Rehearsing that she had said before Beseeching her it might be so no more And in like wise as they had done before The gentlewomen of our company Put her billes and for to tell you more One of hem wrote C'est sans dire verely And her matere hole to specifie Within her bill she put it in writing And what it said ye shall have knowing It said God wote and that full pitously Like as she was disposed in her hert No misfortune that she tooke grevously All one to her was the joy and smert Sometime no thanke for all her good desert Other comfort she wanted none comming And so vsed it greeued her nothing Desiring her and lowly beseeching That she would for seke a better way As she that had ben her daies living Stedfast and trewe and will be alway Of her felaw somewhat I shall you say Whose bill was red next forth withall And what it meant rehearsen you I shall En Dieu est she wrote in her devise And thus she said withouten faile Her trouth might be take in no wise Like as she thouÈt wherfore she had mervaile For trouth somtime was wont to take availe In every matere but all that is ago The more pity that it is suffred so Much more there was wherof she shuld complain But she thoght it too great encombraunce So much to write and therfore in certain In God and her she put all her affiaunce As in her word is made a remembraunce Beseeching her that she would in this cace Shew vnto her the favour of her grace The third she wrote rehersing her grevaunce Ye wote ye what a pitous thing to here For as me thoght she felt great displesaunce One might right wel perceive it by her chere And no wonder it sate her passing nere Yet loth she was to put it in writing But need woll have course in every thing Soyes ensure this was her word certaine And thus she wrote in a little space There she loved her labour was in vaine For he was set all in another place Full humbly desiring in that cace Some good comfort her sorrow to appease That she might live more at hearts ease The fourth surely me thought she liked wele As in her port and in her behaving And bien moneste as ferre as I coud fele That was her word till her well belonging Wherefore to her she prayed above all thing Full heartely to say you in substaunce That she would send her good continuaunce Ye have rehearsed me these billes all But now let see somwhat of your entent It may so hap paraventure ye shall Now I pray you while I am here present Ye shall have knowledge parde what I ment But this I say in trouth and make no fable The case it selfe is inly lamentable And well I wote ye woll think the same Like as I say when ye have heard my bill Now good tel on I here you by saint Iame Abide a while it is not yet my will Yet must ye wete by reason and by skill Sith ye haue knowledg of that was don before And thus it is said without words more Nothing so lefe as death to come to me For finall end of my sorrowes and paine What should I more desire as seeme ye And ye knew all aforne it for certaine I wote ye would and for to tell you plaine Without her help that hath all thing in cure I cannat thinke that it may long endure As for my trouth it hath be proued wele To say the sooth I can say no more Of full long time and suffered euerydele In patience and keepe it all in store Of her goodnesse beseeching her therefore That I might haue my thanke in such wise As my desert serueth of justise When these billes were rad euerychone The ladies tooke a good aduisement And hem to answere by one and one She thought it was too much in her entent Wherefore she yaue hem commaundement In her presence to come both one and all To yeue hem her answere in generall What did she then suppose ye verely She spake her self and said in this manere We haue well seene your billes by and by And some of hem pitous for to here We woll therefore ye know all this in fere Within short time our court of parliment Here shall be hold in our pallais present And in all this wherein you find you greued There shall ye find an open remedy In such wise as ye shall be releeued Of all that ye rehearse here throughly As for the date ye shall know verely That ye may haue a space in your comming For Diligence shall it tell you by writing We thanked her in our most humble wise Our felawship ech one by one assent Submitting vs lowly till her seruise For as we thought we had our trauail spent In such wise as we held vs content Then each of vs tooke other by the sleue And forthwithall as we should take our leue All suddainly the water sprang anone In my visage and therewithall I woke Where am I now thought I all this is gone All mased and vp I gan to loke With that anon I went and made this boke Thus simply rehearsing the substance Because it shuld not be out of remembrance Now verely your dream is passing good And worthy to be had in remembraunce For though I stand here as long as I stood It should to me be none encombraunce I tooke therein so inly great pleasaunce But tell me now with ye the book do call For I must wete With right good will ye shall As for this booke to say you very right Of the name to tell you in certainte L'assemble de dames thus it hight How thinke ye that name is good parde Now go farewell for they call after me My felawes all and I must after sone Rede well my dreme for now my tale is done The Conclusions of the Astrolabie This Book written to his Son in the year of our Lord 1391 and in the 14th of King Richard 2. standeth so good at this day especially for the Horizon of Oxford as in the opinion of the Learned it cannot be amended LIttle Lowis my sonne I perceiue well by certaine euidences thine abilitie to learne sciences touching numbers and proportions and also well consider I thy busie prayer in especiall to learne the Treatise of the Astrolabie Then for as much as a Philosopher saith hee wrapeth him in his friend that condiscendeth to the rightfull prayers of his friend Therefore I haue giuen thee a sufficient Astrolabie for our orizont compouned after the latitude of Oxenford Vpon the which by mediation of this little Treatise I purpose to teach thee a certaine number of conclusions pertayning to this same instrument I say a certaine of conclusions
pite Iwis mine owne deare hert ye Know full well that neuer yet As farre as euer I had wit Agilt you in thought ne in dede O haue ye men such goodlihede In speech and neuer a dele of trouth Alas that euer had routh Any woman on a false man Now I see well and tell can We wretched women can no art For certaine for the more part Thus we been serued euerichone How sore that ye men can grone Anon as we have you receiued Certainly we been deceiued For though your loue lest a season Wait vpon the conclusion And eke how ye determine And for the more part define O welaway that I was borne For through you my name is lorne And mine acts redde and song Ouer all this land in euery tong O wicked fame for there nis Nothing so swift lo as she is O sooth is euery thing is wist Though it be couerde with the mist Eke though I might duren euer That I haue done recouer I neuer That it ne shall be said alas I shamed was through Eneas And that I shall thus judged be Lo right as she hath done now she Woll done estsoones hardely Thus say the people priuely But that is done nis not to done But all her complaint ne her mone Certaine auailed her not a stre And when she wist soothly he Was forth into his ship agone She into chamber went anone And called on her suster Anne And gan her to complaine than And said that she cause was That she first loued him alas And first counsailed her thereto But what when this was said and do She roft her seluen to the hart And deide through the wounds smart But all the manner how she deide And all the words how she seide Who so to know it hath purpose Rede Virgile in Eneidos Or the Pistels of Ouide What that she wrote or that she dide And nere it too long to endite By God I would it here write But welaway the harme and routh That hath betide for such vntrouth As men may oft in bookes rede And all day seene it yet in dede That for to thinken it tene is Lo Demophon Duke of Athenis How he forswore him falsely And traied Phillis wickedly That kings doughter was of Thrace And falsely gan his tearme pace And when she wist that he was false She hong her selfe right by the halfe For he had done her such vntrouth Lo was not this a wo and routh Eke looke how false and recheles Was to Briseida Achilles And Paris to Oenone And Iason to Hipsiphile And eft Iason to Medea And Hercules to Dianira For he left her for Iolee That made him take his death parde How false was eke Theseus That as the storie telleth vs How he betraied Adriane The deuill be his soules bane For had he laughed or yloured He must haue been all deuoured If Adriane ne had be And for she had of him pite She made him fro the death escape And he made her a full false jape For after this within a while He left her sleeping in an Isle Desart alone right in the see And stale away and let her bee And tooke her suster Phedra tho With him and gan to ship go And yet he had sworne to here On all that euer he could swere That so she saued him his life He would taken her to his wife For she desired nothing els In certain as the booke vs tels But for to excuse this Eneas Fulliche of all his great trespas The booke saith sauns faile The gods bad him go to Itaile And leauen Affrickes regioun And faire Dido and her toun Tho saw I graue how to Itaile Dan Eneas gan for to saile And how the tempest all began And how he lost his steresman Which that the sterne or he tooke keepe Smote ouer the bord as he sleepe And also saugh I how Sibile And Eneas beside an Isle To hell went for to see His father Anchises the free And how he there found Palimurus And also Dido and Deiphebus And eueriche tourment eke in hell Saw he which long is for to tell Which paines who so list to know He must rede many a row In Vergile or in Claudian Or Daunt that it tellen can Tho saw I eke all the ariuaile That Eneas had made in Itaile And with king Latin his treate And all the battailes that he Was at himselfe and his knights Or he had all iwonne his rights And how he Turnus reft his life And wan Lauina to his wife And all the maruellous signals Of the gods celestials How maugre Iuno Eneas For all her sleight and her compas Acheued all his auenture For Iupiter tooke on him cure At the prayer of Venus Which I pray alway saue vs And vs aye of our sorrowes light When I had seene all this sight In this noble temple thus Hey Lord thought I that madest vs Yet saw I neuer such noblesse Of Images nor such richesse As I see grauen in this church But nought wote I who did hem worch Ne where I am ne in what countree But now will I out gone and see Right at the wicket if I can Seene ought where stering any man That may me tellen where I am When I out of the dore came I fast about me beheld Then saw I but a large field As farre as euer I might see Without toune house or tree Or bush or grasse or eared land For all the field was but of sand As small as men may see at eye In the desart of Lybye Ne no manner creature That is yformed by nature Ne saw I me to rede or wisse O Christ thought I that are in blisse From fanton and illusion Me saue and with deuotion Mine eyen to the heauen I cast Tho was I ware lo at the last That fast by the sunne on hye As kenne might I with mine eye Me thought I saw an Egle sore But that it seemed much more Than I had any Egle yseine This is as sooth as death certaine It was of gold and shone so bright That neuer saw men such a sight But if the heauen had ywonne All new of God another sonne So shone the Egles fethers bright And somewhat downward gan it light Explicit liber primus NOw hearken euery manner man That English vnderstand can And listeth of my dreame to here For nowe at erst shall ye lere So sely and so dredefull a vision That I say neither Scipion Ne king Nabugodonosore Pharao Turnus ne Alcanore Ne metten such a dreame as this Now faire blisfull O Cipris So be my fauour at this time That ye me tendite and rime Helpeth that in Pernaso dwell Beside Elicon the clere well O thought that wrote all that I met And in the tresorie it set Of my braine now shall men see If any vertue in thee bee To tell all my dreame aright Now kithe thy engine and thy might This Egle of which I haue you told That with feathers
shone all of gold Which that so high gan to sore I gan behold more and more To seene her beauty and the wonder But neuer was that dent of thunder Ne that thing that men call sendre That smite sometime a toure to poudre And in his swift comming brend That so swithe gan downward discend As this foule when it beheld That I a roume was in the field And with his grim pawes strong Within his sharpe nailes long Me fleyng at a swappe he hent And with his sours againe vp went Me carying in his clawes starke As lightly as I had ben a larke How high I cannot tellen you For I came vp I nist neuer how For so astonied and asweued Was euery vertue in me heued What with his sours and my dread That all my feeling gan to dead For why it was a great affray Thus I long in his clawes lay Till at last he to me spake In mans voice and said awake And be not agast so for shame And called me tho by my name And for I should better abraid Me to awake thus he said Right in the same voice and steuin That useth one that I can neuin And with that voice sooth to saine My mind came to me again For it was goodly said to me So nas it neuer wont to be And herewithal I gan to stere As he me in his feet bere Till that he felt that I had heat And felt eke tho mine hart beat And tho gan he me to disport And with gentle wordes me comfort And said twice saint Mary Thou art a noyous thing to cary And nothing needeth it parde For also wise God helpe me As thou no harme shalt haue of this And this case that betiddeth thee is Is for thy lore and for thy prow Let see darst thou looke yet now Be full ensured boldely I am thy friend and therewith I Gan for to wonder in my mind O God qd I that madest all kind Shall I none otherwise die Whether Ioue will me stellifie Or what thing may this signifie I am neither Enocke ne Helie Ne Romulus ne Ganimede That were bore up as men rede To heauen with dan Iupiter And made the gods buteler Lo this was tho my fantasie But he that bare gan aspie That I so thought and said this Thou deemest of thy selfe amis For Ioue is not thereabout I dare thee put full out of doubt To make of thee yet a sterre But ere I beare thee much ferre I will the tell what I am Aud whider thou shalt and why I came To do this so that thou take Good herte and not for feare quake Gladly qd I now well qd he First I that in my feet haue the Of whom thou hast feare and wonder I am dwelling with the god of thonder Which men callen Iupiter That doth me flien full oft fer To do all his commaundement And for this cause he hath me sent To thee Herke now by thy trouth Certaine he hath of thee routh That thou hast so truely Long serued ententifely His blind new Cupido And faire Venus also Without guerdon euer yet And nathelesse hast set thy wit Although in thy head full little is To make bookes songs and dities In rime or els in Cadence As thou best canst in reuerence Of loue and of his seruaunts eke That haue his seruice sought aad seke And painest thee to praise his art Although thou haddest neuer part Wherefore also God me blesse Iouis halt it great humblesse And vertue eke that thou wilt make A might full oft thine head to ake In thy study so thou writest And evermore of loue enditest In honour of him and praisings And in his folkes furtherings And in her matter all deuisest And not him ne his folke dispisest Although thou maist go in the daunce Of hem that him list not auaunce Wherefore as I said ywis Iupiter considreth well this And also beausire of other things That is thou haste no tidings Of loues folke if they be glade Ne of nothing els that God made And not onely fro ferre countree That no tidings commen to thee Not of thy very neighbours That dwellen almost at thy dores Thou hearest neither that ne this For when thy labour all done is And hast made all thy reckenings In stead of rest and of new things Thou goest home to thine house anone And also dombe as a stone Thou sittest at another booke Till fully dased is thy looke And liuest thus as an Hermite Although thine abstinence is lite And therfore Iouis through his grace Will that I beare thee to a place Which that hight the house of Fame And to do the sport and game In some recompensation Of thy labour and deuotion That thou hast had lo causelesse To god Cupido the rechelesse And thus this God through his merite Will with some manner thing thee quite So that thou wilt be of good chere For trust well that thou shalt here When we ben commen there as I say Mo wonder things dare I lay And of loues folke mo tidings Both soothsawes and lesings And mo loues new begon And long serued till loue is won And mo louers casuelly That ben betide no man wote why But as a blind man starteth an Hare And more jolite and welfare While they find loue of stele As thinke men and ouer all we le Mo discords and mo iealousies Mo murmures and mo nouelries And also mo dissimulations And eke fained reparations And mo berdes in two hours Without rasour or sisours Ymade than graines be of sands And eke mo holding in mo hands And also mo renouelaunces Of old forseten aqueintaunces Mo loue daies and mo accords Than on instruments ben cords And eke of loue mo exchaunges Than euer corne were in graunges Vnneth maiest thou trowen this Qd. he no so helpe me God as wis Qd. I Now why qd he for it Were impossible to my wit Though Fame had all the pries In all a realme and all aspies How that yet he should heare all this Or they espien O yes yes Qd. he to me that can I preue By reason worthy for to leue So that thou giue thine aduertence To understand my sentence First shalt thou here where she dwelleth Right so as thine owne booke telleth Her palais standeth as I shall say Right euen amiddes of the way Betweene heauen earth and see That whatsoeuer in all these three Is spoken in priue or apert The way thereto is so ouert And stant eke in so just a place That euery sowne mote to it pace Or what so commeth from any tong Be rowned red or song Or spoken in suertie or drede Certaine it mote thider nede Now hearken well for why I will Tellen thee a proper skill And a worthy demonstration In mine imagination Geffray thou wotest well this That euery kindely thing that is Hath a kindely stede there he May best in it conserued be Vnto which place euery thing Through his kindely enclining Meueth for to come
god of thonder Had let me knowen and began to write Like as ye have herd me endite Wherefore to study and rede alway I purpose to do day by day Thus in dreaming and in game Endeth this litell booke of Fame ¶ Here endeth the booke of Fame The Prologue of the Testament of Love MAny men there been that with ere 's openly sprad so moch swalowen the deliciousnesse of iestes and of ryme by queint knitting coloures that of the goodnesse or of the badnesse of the sentence take they litle hede or els none Sothely dull witte and a thoughtful soule so sore haue mined graffed in my spirites that soch craft of enditing woll nat been of my acquaintaunce And for rude wordes boistous percen the hart of the herer to the intest point and planten there the sentence of thinges so that with littel helpe it is able to spring This booke that nothing hath of the great flood of witte ne of semeliche colours is doluen with rude wordes and boistous and so drawe togider to maken the catchers therof ben the more ready to hent sentence Some men there been that painten with colours rich some with vers as with red inke some with coles chalke And yet is there good matter to y◠leude people of thilke chalkie purtreyture as hem thinketh for the time and afterward the sight of the better colours yeuen to hem more joye for the first leudnesse So soothly this leude clowdy occupation is not to praise but by the leud for commenly leude leudnesse commendeth Eke it shall yeue sight that other precious things shall be the more in reuerence In Latin and French hath many soueraine wits had great delite to endite and haue many noble things fulfilde but certes there been some that speaken their poisie mater in French of which speche the French men haue as good a fantasie as we haue in hearing of French mens English And many terms there ben in English which unneth we English men connen declare the knowledging How should then a french man borne such termes conne iumpere in his matter but as the Iay chatereth English right so truly the understanding of English men wol not stretch to the priuie termes in Frenche what so euer we bosten of straunge langage Let then Clerks enditen in Latin for they haue the propertie of science and the knowing in that facultie and lette Frenchmen in their French also enditen their queint termes for it is kindely to their mouthes let us shewe our fantasies in such wordes as we learneden of our dames tongue And although this booke be little thanke worthy for the leudnesse in trauaile yet such writings exciten men to thilk things that been necessary for euery man thereby may as by a perpetual mirrour seene the vices or vertues of other in which thing lightly may be conceiued to escheue perils necessaries to catch after as auentures haue fallen to other people or persons * Certes the soueraignst thing of desire and most creature reasonable haue or els should haue full appetite to their perfection unreasonable beasts mowen not sith reason hath in hem no working Then reasonable that woll not is comparisoned to unreasonable and made like hem Forsooth the most soueraigne and finall perfection of man is in knowing of a sooth withouten any entent deceiuable and in loue of one very God that is inchaungeable that is to know and loue his creator Nowe principally the meane to bring in knowledging and louing his creatour is y◠consideration of things made by the creatour where through be thilke thynges that beene made understanding here to our wits arne the unseen priueties of God made to us sightfull and knowing in our contemplation and understonding These things then forsooth much bringen us to the full knowledging sooth and to that parfite loue of the maker of heuenly things Lo Dauid faith thou hast delited me in making as who saith to haue delite in the tune how God hath lent me in consideration of thy making Whereof Aristotle in the booke de Animalibus sayth to naturel Philosophers * It is a great liking in loue of knowing their creatour also in knowing of causes in kindely things considered Forsooth the formes of kindely thynges the shape a great kindely loue me should haue to the werkemen that hem made * The crafte of a werkeman is shewed in the werke Herefore truely the Philosophers with a liuely studye many noble things right precious worthie to memorie written and by a great swete and trauaile to us leften of causes the properties in natures of things to which therefore Philosophers it was more joy more lyking more heartie lust in kindely vertues matters of reason the perfection by busie studie to know than to haue had all the treasour all the richesse all the vaine-glory that the passed Emperours Princes or Kings hadden Therfore the names of hem in the booke of perpetuall memorie in vertue and peace arne written and in the contrary that is to sayne in Styxe the foule pitte of hell arne thilke pressed that such goodnesse hated And because this booke shall be of loue and the prime causes of stering in that doing with passions and diseases for wanting of desire I will that this booke be cleaped the Testament of Loue. But now thou Reader who is thilke that will not in scorne laugh to heare a dwarfe or els halfe a man say he wil rend out the swerd of Hercules handes And also hee should set Hercules gades a mile yet ferther and over that hee had power and strength to pull up the speare that Alisander the noble might never wagge And that passing all thing to been mayster of Fraunce by might there as the noble gracious Edward the third for all his great prowesse in victories ne might all yet conquere Certes I wote well there shall be made more scorne iape of me that I so unworthely clothed all togither in the cloudie cloude of vnconning will putten me in prees to speke of loue or els of the causes in that matter sithen all the greatest clerkes han had ynough to done and as who laith gathered up cleane toforne hem and with their sharpe sithes of conning all mowen and made there of great rekes and noble full of all plenties to feed me and many another * Enuy forsooth commendeth nought his reason that he hath in haine be it neuer so trustie And although these noble reapers as good workmen worthy their hire han all draw and bound vp in y◠sheues and made many shockes yet haue I ensample to gader the small crums and fullin my wallet of tho that fallen from the bourde among the small hounds notwithstanding the trauaile of the almoigner that hath drawe vp in y◠cloth all the remissailes as trenchours and the releefe to beare to the almesse Yet also haue I leaue of that noble husband Boece although I be a stranger of conning to come
after his doctrine these great worke men and gleane my handfuls of yâ— shedding after their hands if me faile ought of my full to encrease my portion with that I shall draw by priuities out of shockes a slye seruaunt in his owne helpe is often muche commended knowyng of trouth in causes of thyngs was more hardier in the first seechers and so sayth Aristotle and lighter in us that han followed after For their passing study han freshed our wits our vnderstanding han excited in consideration of trouth by sharpnesse of their reasons Vtterly these thynges be no dreames ne yapes to throwe to hogges it is lifelyche meate for children of trouth and as they me betiden when I pilgrimaged out of my kithe in Winter when yâ— weather out of measure was boistous and the wylde winde Boreas as his kinde asketh with drying colds maked yâ— wawes of the Decian sea so to arise vnkindely ouer yâ— commune bankes that it was in point to spill all the earth ¶ Thus endeth the Prologue and hereafter followeth the first booke of the Testament of Loue. The Testament of Love This book is an Imitation of Boetius de Consolatione Philosophiae in the first part whereof Love by way of Legacy doth bequeath to all them which follow her lore the knowledge of Truth from Errour whereby they may rightly judge of the Causes of cross Fortune and such Adversities as befall them whether in their Suits of Love or otherwise and so in the end obtain their wished Desires In this second part she reacheth the Knowledge of one very God our Creatour as also the State of Grace and the State of Glory all the which good things are figured by a Margarite Pearl Chaucer did compile this book as a Comfort to himself after great Griefs conceived for some rash Attempts of the Commons with whom he had joyned and thereby was in fear to lose the Favour of his best Friends and also therein to set end to all his Writing being commanded by Venus as appeareth by Gower in the end of his eighth Book entituled Confessio Amantis so to do as one that was Venus's Clerk even as Gower had made his Confessio Amantis his last Work and shrift of his former Offences ALas Fortune alas I that sometyme in delicious houres was wont to enioy blisfull stoundes am now driue by vnhappy heauinesse to bewaile my sundry euils in tene Truly I leue in mine herte is writte of perdurable letters all the ententions of lamentation that now been ynempned for any manner disease outward in sobbyng manner she weth sorowfull yexing from within Thus from my comforte I ginne to spill sith she that should me sollace is ferre fro my presence Certes her absence is to me an hell my steruyng death thus in wo it myneth that endelesse care is throughout mine heart clenched blisse of my ioy that oft me murthed is tourned into gall to thinke on thing that may not at my will in armes me hent Mirth is chaunged into tene when swinke is ther continually that rest was wont to soiourne and haue dwelling place Thus witlesse thoughtfull sightlesse looking I endure my pennaunce in this dark prison caitisned fro friendship and acquaintaunce and forsaken of all that any worde dare speake Straunge hath by way of intrusion made his home there me should be if reason were heard as he should Neuer the later yet heartely ladye precyous Margarite haue mind on thy seruaunt thinke on his disease how lightlesse he liueth sithe the beames brennende in loue of thyne eyen arne so bewet that worldes and cloud atweene vs twey wol not suffer my thoughts of hem to be enlumined Thinke that one vertue of a Margarite precious is amongs many other the sorrowful to comfort yet will of that me sorrowful to comfort is my luste to haue nought els at this time deede ne death ne no manner trauyle hath no power myne heart so much to fade as should to heare of a twinckling in your disease Ah God forbede that but yet let me dey let me sterue withouten any measure of pennaunce rather than myne hartely thinking comfort in ought were diseased What may my seruice aueile in absence of her that my seruice should accept is this nat endlesse sorrow to thinke Yes yes God wote mine heart breaketh nigh asunder howe should the ground without kindely noriture bringen forth any fruits Howe should a shippe withouten a sterne in the great sea be gouerned How should I withouten my blisse my heart my desire my ioy my goodnesse endure in this contrarious prison that thinke euery houre in the day an hundred Winter Well may now Eue sayne to me Adam In sorrow fallen from wealth driuen art thou out of Paradise with sweate thy sustenaunce to beswinke Deepe in this pining pitte with wo I ligge ystocked with chaynes linked of care and of tene It is so high from thence I lie of the common yearth there ne is cable in no land maked that might stretch to me to draw me into blisse ne steyers to steye on is none so that without recouer endlesse here to endure I wote well I purueide O where art thou now friendship that sometime with laughande chere madest both face and countenaunce to me wardes Truely nowe art thou went out of towne but euer me thinketh he weareth his old clothes and that the soule in the which the life of friendship was in is drawne out from his other Spirits Now then farewell friendship and farewell felawes me thinketh ye all han taken your â—eaue no force of you all at ones But lady of loue ye wote what I meane yet thinke on thy seruaunt that for thy loue spilleth all thyngs haue I forsake to follow en thyne hestes reward me wyth a thought though ye doe naught els Remembraunce of loue lithe so sore vnder my breast that other thought commeth not in my mynd but gladnesse to thinke on your goodnesse and your merry cheare frendes and sorrow to thinke on your wretch and your daunger from whych Christ me saue My great ioy it is to haue in meditations the bounties the vertues the nobley in you printed sorrow and hell commen at ones to suppose that I be veined Thus with care sorrow and tene am I shapt meyne end with death to make Now good goodly thinke on this O wretched foole that I am fallen into so lowe the heate of my brenning tene hathe me all defaced how should ye Lady set prise on so foule filth My conning is thin my witte is exiled like to a foole naturell am I comparisoned Truely lady but your mercie the more were I wote well all my labour were in idle your mercie then passeth right God graunt that proposition to be verified in me so yâ— by trust of good hope I mow come to the hauen of ease and sith it is impossible the colours of your qualities to chaunge forsooth I wote well wemme ne spotte may not abide there
I am yong and can yet but creep this leud A b c haue I set into learning for I can not passen the telling of three as yet and if God will in short time I shall amend this leudnesse in joyning of syllables which thing for dulnesse of wit I may not in three letters declare For trewly I say the goodnesse of my Margarite pearle would yeue matter enditing to many Clerks Certes her mercy is more to me swetter than any liuings wherefore my lips mowen not suffice in speaking of her full laud and worship as they shuld But who is that in knowing of the orders of Heauen and putteth his reasons in the earth I forsooth may not with blere eyen the shining Sun of vertue in bright whele of this Margarite behold therefore as yet I may her not discriue in vertue as I would In time coming in another treatise thorow goddes grace this Sunne cleerenesse of vertue to be know and how she enlumineth all this day I think to declare IN this meane while this comfortable lady gan sing a wounder mater of enditing in Latine but trewly the noble colours in Rhetorike wise knit were so craftely that my conning woll not stretche to remembre but the sentence I trowe somedele haue I in minde Certes they were wonder sweete of sowne and they were touched all in lamentacion wise and by no werbelles of mirth Lo thus gan she sing in Latine as I may constrew it in our English tongue Alas that these heuenly bodies their light and course shewen as nature yaue hem in commaundement at the ginning of the first age but these things in free choise of reason han none vnderstanding but man that ought to passe all thing of doing of right course in kind ouerwhelmed soothnesse by wrongfull title and hath drawen the Sterre of enuie to gone by his side that the ciypes of me that should be his shinand Sun so oft is sey that it wened thilk error thorow hem come in should been mine own default Trewely therefore I haue me withdraw and made my dwelling out of land in an yle by my self in the Occian closed and yet sayn there many they haue me harberowed but God wote they faylen These things me greuen to think and namely on paised gladnesse that in this world was wont me disport of high and low and now it is failed they that wolden maistries me haue in thilk stounds in heauen on high aboue Saturns sphere in seasonable time were they lodged but now come queint counsailours that in no house woll suffre me sojourn whereof is pitee And yet sain some that they me haue in celler with wine shet in garnere there corne is laid couered with wheat in sack sowed with woll in purse with money fast knit among pans mouled in a wiche in presse among clothes laid with rich pelure araied in stable among horse and other beasts as hogs sheep and nete and in other maner wise But thou maker of light in winking of thine eye the sun is queint wost right well that I in true name was never thus herberowed Sometime toforn the sun in the seuenth party was smiten I bare both crosse mitre to yeue it where I would With me the Pope went a foot I tho was worshipped of al holy church kings baden me their crowns holden * The law was set as it shuld to fore the judg as wel the poor durst shew his grefe as the rich for all his money I defended tho tailages was ready for the poor to pay I made great feasts in my time and noble songs maried damosels of gentill feture withouten gold or other richesse Poor Clerks for wit of school I set in churches and made soch persons to preach and tho was seruice in holy churches honest and deuout in pleasaunce both of God and of the people But now the leud for simony is auaunted shendeth all holy church * Now is steward for his achates now is courtior for his debates now is eschetour for his wrongs now is losel for his songs personer and prouendre alone with which many thrifty should encrease And yet is this shrew bebind * Free hert is forsake and losengeour is take Lo it accordeth for such there been that voluntary lusts haunten in court with ribaudry That till midnight and more woll play and wake but in the Church at matins he is behind for euill disposicion of his stomake therefore he shuld eat bean bred and so did his sire his estate therewith to strengthen His alter is broke and low lithe in point to gone to yâ— yearth but his horse must been easie and hie to hear him ouer great waters His chalice poor but he hath rich cups No towayl but a sheet there God shall been handled and on his meat borde there shall been borde clothes and towelles many pair At masse serueth but a clergion fiue squiers in hall Poor chauncel open holes in euery side beds of silk with tapites going all about his chambre Poor masse book leud chapelain and broken Surplice with many an hole good hounds and many to hunt after Hart and Hare to feed in their feests Of poor men haue they great care for they euer craue and nothing offren they wolden haue hem doluen But among legystres there dare I not come my doing they sain maken hem needy they ne wold for nothing haue me in town for then were tort and forth naught worth an haw about and pleasen no men but thilk greeuous and torcious been in might and in doing these things toforn said mow well if men list ryme trewly they accord nothing And for as moch as all things by me shulden of right ben gouerned I am sory to see yâ— gouernance faileth as thus To seen smal and low gouern the hie bodies aboue Certes that polisie is nought it is forbode by them that of gouernance treaten and enformen * And right as beastly wit should been subject to reason so earthly power in it self the lower should been subject to the hier What is worth thy body but it be gouerned with thy soul right so litel or nought is worth earthly power but if regnatife prudence in heeds gouern the smal to which heeds the smal owen to obey and suffre in their gouernance But soueraignesse ayenward should think in this wise I am seruant of these creatures to me deliuered not Lord but defendor not Maister but enformer not possessor but in possession and to hem lich a tree in which sparows shullen stelen her birdes to nourish and foorth bring vnder suerty ayenst all reueinous fouls and beasts and not to be tyrant themself And then the smal in rest and quiet by the heeds well disposed owen for their souerains health and prosperite to pray and in other doings in maintenance thereof perform withouten other administracion in rule of any manner gouernance And they wit haue in hem and grace to come to soch things yet should they
thee as loud as I may crie And then she began this song full hie I shrew all hem that been of loue vntrue And when she had song it to the end Now farewell qd she for I mote wend And god of loue that can right well may As much joy send thee this day As any yet louer he euer send Thus taketh yâ— Nightingale her leaue of me I pray to God alway with her be And joy of loue he send her euermore And shilde vs fro the Cuckow and his lore For there is not so false a bird as he Forth she flew the gentle Nightingale To all the birds that were in that dale And gate hem all into a place in fere And besoughten hem that they would here Her disease and thus began her tale The Cuckow well it is not for to hide How the Cuckow and I fast haue chide Euer sithen it was day light I pray you all that ye doe me right On that foule false vnkind bridde Then spake o bird for all by one assent This matter asketh good auisement For we been birdes here in fere And sooth it is the Cuckow is not here And therefore we woll haue a parliment And thereat shall the Egle be our Lord And other peres that been of record And the Cuckow shall be after sent There shall be yeue the judgement Or els we shall finally make accord And this shall be without nay The morrow after saint Valentines day Vnder a Maple that is faire and grene Before the chamber window of the quene At Woodstocke vpon the grene lay She thanked hem then her leaue toke And into an Hauthorne by that broke And there she sate and song vpon that tree Terme of life loue hath withhold me So loud that I with that song awoke Explicit O Leud book with thy foule rudenesse Sith thou haste neither beauty ne eloquence Who hath thee caused or yeue thee hardinesse For to appeare in my Ladies presence I am full siker thou knowest her beneuolence Full agreeable to all her abying For of all good she is the best liuing Alas that thou ne haddest worthinesse To shew to her some pleasaunt sentence Sith that she hath through her gentillesse Accepted the seruant to her digne reuerence O me repenteth that I ne had science And leiser al 's to make thee more florishing For of all good she is the best liuing Beseech her meekely with all lowlinesse Though I be ferre from her in absence To think on my trouth to her stedfastnesse And to abridge of my sorrowes the violence Which caused is wherof knoweth your sapience She like among to notifie me her liking For of all good she is the best liuing Lenuoye A Vrore of gladnesse and day of lustinesse Lucern a night with heauenly influence Illumined root of beauty and goodnesse Suspires which I effunde in silence Of grace I beseech alledge let your writing Now of all good sith ye be best liuing Explicit Scogan unto the Lords and Gentlemen of the Kings House In the written Copies the Title hereof is thus Here followeth a moral Ballad to the Prince the Duke of Clarence the Duke of Bedford the Duke of Gloucester the Kings Sons by Henry Scogan at a Supper among the Merchants in the Vintry at London in the House of Lewis John MY noble sonnes and eke my lords dere I your father called vnworthely Send vnto you this little Treatise here Written with mine owne hand full rudely Although it be that I not reuerently Haue written to your estates I you pray Mine vnconning taketh benignely For Gods sake and herken what I say I complain me sore when I remember me The suddaine age that is vpon me fall But more I complain my mispent juuentute The which is impossible ayen for to call But certainly the most complaint of all Is to thinke that I haue be so nice That I ne would vertues to me call In all my youth but vices aye cherice Of which I aske mercy of the Lord That art almighty God in majesty Beseking to make so euen accord Betwixt thee and my soule that vanity Worldly lust ne blind prosperity Haue no lordship ouer my flesh so frele Thou Lord of rest and parfite vnity Put fro me vice and kepe my soule he le And yeue me might while I haue life space Me to confirme fully to thy pleasaunce Shew to me the abundaunce of thy grace And in good werks grant me perseueraunce Of all my youth forget the ignoraunce Yeue me good will to serue thee ay to queme Set all my life after thine ordinaunce And able me to mercy or thou deme My lords dere why I this complaint write To you whom I loue most entirely Is for to warne you as I can endite * That time lost in youth folily Greueth a wight bodily and ghostly I meane him that to lust and vice entend Wherefore lords I pray you specially Your youth in vertue shapeth to dispend * Plant the root of youth in such a wise That in vertue your growing be alway Looke alway goodnesse be in your exercise That shall you mighty make at each assay The fiend to withstand at each affray Passeth wisely this perillous pilgrimage Think on this word and werke it euery day That shall you yeue a parfite floured age Taketh also hede how yâ— these noble clerkes Writen in her bookes of great saprence Saying that faith is ded withouten werkes And right so is estate with negligence Of vertue and therefore with diligence * Shapeth of vertue so to plant the root That ye thereof haue full experience To worship of your life and soules boot * Taketh also hede that lordship ne estate Without vertue may not long endure Thinketh eke how vices vertue at debate Haue ben and shall while the world may dure And euer the vicious by auenture Is ouerthrow and thinketh euermore That God is Lord of all vertue and figure Of all goodnesse and therfore follow his lore My maister Chaucer God his soule saue That in his language was so curious He said that the father which is dead graue Biqueth nothing his vertue with his hous Vnto his children and therefore labourous Ought ye be beseeking God of grace To yeue you might for to be vertuous Through whichye miÈt haue part of his place * Here may ye see that vertuous noblesse Commeth not to you by way of auncestry But it commeth by lefull businesse Of honest life and not by slogardry Wherefore in youth I rede you edisie The house of vertue in such a manere That in your age may you keepe and gie Fro the tempest of worlds wawes here * Thinketh how betwixe vertue and estate There is a parfite blessed Mariage Vertue is cause of peace vice of debate In mans soule the which be full of courage Cherisheth then vertue vices to outrage Driueth hem away let hem haue no wonning In your soules leseth not the heritage Which God hath yeue to
that there were VVith sober countenaunce auised In few words that well suffised And to this lord anon present A bill wherein whole her entent VVas written and how she besought As he knew euery will and thought That of his godhead and his grace He would forgyue all old trespace And vndispleased be of time past For she would euer be stedfast And in his seruice to the death Vse euery thought while she had breath And sight and wept and said no more VVithin was written all the sore At whych bill the lord gan smyle And said he would within that yle Be lord and syre both east and west And cald it there his new conquest And in great councell tooke the Queene Long were the tales them betweene And ouer her bill he read thrise And wonder gladly gan deuise Her features faire and her visage And bad good thrift on that Image And sayd he trowed her compleint Should after cause her be corseint And in his sleeue he put the bill Was there none that knew his will And forth he walke apace about Beholding all the lusty rout Halfe in a thought with smiling chere Till at the last as ye shall here He turned vnto the Queene ageine And said to morne here in this pleine I woll ye be and all yours That purposed ben to weare flours Or of my lusty colour vse It may not be to you excuse Ne none of yours in no wise That able be to my seruise For as I said haue here before I will be lord for euermore Of you and of this yle and all And of all yours that haue shall Ioy peace ease or in pleasaunce Your liues vse without noysaunce Here will I in state be seene And turned his visage to the Queene And you giue knowledge of my will And a full answere of your bill Was there no nay ne words none But very obeisaunt seemed echone Queene and other that were there VVell seemed it they had great fere And there tooke lodging euery night VVas none departed of that night And some to read old Romances Them occupied for their pleasances Some to make verelaies and laies And some to other diuerse plaies And I to me a Romance tooke And as I reading was the booke Me thought the sphere had so run That it was rising of the Sun And such a prees into the piaine Assemble gone that with great paine One might for other go ne stand Ne none take other by the hand VVithouten they distourbed were So huge and great the prees was there And after that within two houres This mighty lord all in floures Of diuers colours many a paire In his estate vp in the aire VVell two fathom as his hight He set him there in all their sight And for the Queene and for the Knight And for my lady and euery wight In hast he sent so that neuer one VVas there absent but come echone And when they thus assembled were As ye haue heard me say you here VVithout more tarrying on hight There to be seene of euery wight Vp stood among the prees aboue A counsayler seruaunt of loue VVhich seemed well of great estate And shewed there how no debate Owe ne goodly might be vsed In gentilnesse and be excused VVherefore he said his lords will VVas euery wight there should be still And in pees and one accord And thus commaunded at a word And can his tongue to swiche language Turne that yet in all mine age Heard I neuer so conningly Man speake ne halfe so faithfully For euery thing he said there Seemed as it insealed were Or approued for very trew Swiche was his cunning language new And well according to his chere That where I be me thinke I here Him yet alway when I mine one In any place may be alone First con he of the lusty yle All thastate in little while Rehearse and wholly euery thing That caused there his lords comming And euery we le and euery wo And for what cause ech thing was so VVell shewed he there in easie speech And how the sicke had need of leech And that whole was and in grace He told plainly why each thing was And at the last he con conclude Voided euery language rude And said that prince that mighty lord Or his departing would accord All the parties there present And was the fine of his entent VVitnesse his presence in your sight VVhich sits among you in his might And kneeled downe withouten more And not o word spake he more Tho gan this mighty lord him dresse VVith cheare auised to do largesse And said vnto this knight and me Ye shall to joy restored be And for ye haue ben true ye twaine I graunt you here for euery paine A thousand joys euery weeke And looke ye be no lenger seeke And both your ladies lo hem here Take ech his own beeth of good chere Your happy day is new begun Sith it was rising of the sun And to all other in this place I graunt wholly to stand in grace That serueth truely without slouth And to auaunced be by trouth Tho can this knight and I downe kneele VVening to doe wonder wele Seeing O Lord your great mrrcy Vs hath enriched so openly That we deserue may neuer more The least part but euermore VVith soule and body truely serue You and yours till we sterue And to their Ladies there they stood This knight that couth so mikel good VVent in hast and I also Ioyous and glad were we tho And also rich in euery thought As he that all hath and ought nought And them besought in humble wise Vs taccept to their seruice And shew vs of their friendly cheares VVhich in their treasure many yeares They kept had vs to great paine And told how their seruants twaine VVere and would be and so had euer And to the death chaunge would we neuer Ne doe offence ne thinke like ill But fill their ordinance and will And made our othes fresh new Our old seruice to renew And wholly theirs for euermore VVe there become what might we more And well awaiting that in slouth VVe made ne fault ne in our trouth Ne thought not do I you ensure VVith our will where we may dure This season past againe an eue This Lord of the Queene tooke leue And said he would hastely returne And at good leisure there sojourne Both for his honour and for his ease Commaunding fast the knight to please And gaue his statutes in papers And ordent diuers officers And forth to ship the same night He went and soone was out of sight And on the morrow when the aire Attempred was and wonder faire Early at rising of the sun After the night away was run Playing vs on the riuage My Lady spake of her voyage And said she made small journies And held her in straunge countries And forthwith to the Queene went And shewed her wholly her entent And tooke her leaue with cheare weeping That pitty was to see that
cheare And said it was a happy yeare At which she smiled and said ywis I trow well he my seruaunt is And would my welfare as I trist So would I his and would he wist How and I knew that his trouth Continue would without slouth And be such as ye here report Restraining both courage and sport I couth consent at your request To be named of your fest And do after your vsaunce In obeying your pleasaunce At your request this I consent To please you in your entent And eke the soueraine aboue Commanded hath me for to loue And before other him prefer Against which Prince may be no wer For his power ouer all raigneth That other would for nought him paineth And sith his will and yours is one Contrary in me shall be none Tho as me thought the promise Of marriage before the mese Desired was of euery wight To be made the same night To put away all maner douts Of euery wight thereabouts And so was do and on the morrow When euery thought and euery sorrow Dislodged was out of mine hert With euery wo and euery smert Vnto a tent Prince and Princes Me thought brought me and my maistres And said we were at full age There to conclude our marriage With ladies knights and squiers And a great host of ministers With instruments and sounes diuerse That long were here to rehearse Which tent was church perochiall Ordaint was in especiall For the feast and for the sacre Where archbishop and archdiacre Song full out the seruise After the custome and the guise And the churches ordinaunce And after that to dine and daunce Brought were we and to diuers playes And for our speed ech with prayes And merry was most and least And said amended was the feast And were right glad lady and lord Of the marriage and thaccord And wished vs hearts pleasaunce Ioy hele and continuaunce And to the minstrils made request That in encreasing of the fest They would touch their cords And with some new joyeux accords Mooue the people to gladnesse And praiden of all gentilnesse Ech to paine them for the day To shew his cunning and his play Tho began sownes meruelous Entuned with accords joyous Round about all the tents VVith thousands of instruments That euery wight to daunce them pained To be merry was none that fained VVhich sowne me troubled in my sleepe That fro my bed forth I lepe VVening to be at the feast But when I woke all was seast For there nas lady ne creature Saue on the wals old portraiture Of horsmen haukes and hounds And hurt deere full of wounds Some like bitten some hurt with shot And as my dreame seemed that was not And when I wake and knew the trouth And ye had seen of very routh I trow ye would haue wept a weke For neuer man yet halfe so seke I went escaped with the life And was for fault that sword ne knife I find ne might my life tabridge De thing that kerued ne had edge VVherewith I might my wofull pains Haue voided with bleeding of my vains Lo here my blisse lo here my paine VVhich to my lady I do complaine And grace and mercy her require To end my wo and busie feare And me accept to her seruise After her seruice in such auise That of my dreame the substaunce Might turne once to cognisaunce And cognisaunce to very preue By full consent and good leue Or els without more I pray That this night or it be day I mote vnto my dreame returne And sleeping so forth aie sojourne About the yle of pleasaunce Vnder my ladies obeisaunce In her seruice and in such wise As it please her may to deuise And grace ones to be accept Like as I dreamed when I slept And dure a thousand yeare and ten In her good will Amen Amen Fairest of faire and goodliest on liue All my secret to you I plaine and shriue Requiring grace and of complaint To be healed or martyred as a saint For by my trouth I sweare by this booke Ye may both heale and slea me with a looke Go forth mine owne true hert innocent And with humblesse do thine obseruaunce And to thy lady on thy knees present Thy seruice new think how great pleasance It is to liue vnder thobeisance Of her that may with her looks soft Giue thee the blisse that thou desirest oft Be diligent awake obey and drede And not too wild of thy countenaunce But meeke and glad and thy nature feed To do each thing that may her pleasance VVhen thou shalt sleep haue aie in remembrance Thimage of her which may with lookes soft Giue thee the blisse that thou desirest oft And if so be that thou her name find Written in booke or els vpon wall Looke that thou as seruaunt true and kind Thine obeisaunce as she were therewithall Faining in loue is breeding of a fall From the grace of her whose lookes soft May giue the blisse that thou desirest oft Ye that this Ballade read shall I pray you keepe you from the fall The Flower and the Leaf A Gentlewoman out of an Arbor in a Grove seeth a great company of Knights and Ladies in a Dance upon the green Grass the which being ended they all kneel down and do honour to the Daisie some to the Flower and some to the Leaf Afterward this Gentlewoman learneth by one of these Ladies the meaning hereof which is this They which honour the Flower a thing fading with every blast are such as look after Beauty and worldly Pleasure But they that honour the Leaf which abideth with the Root notwithstanding the Frosts and Winter storms are they which follow Vertue and during Qualities without regard of worldly Respects WHen that Phebus his chaire of gold so hie Had whirled vp the sterry sky aloft And in the Boole was entred certainely When shoures sweet of raine discended oft Causing the ground fele times and oft Vp for to giue many an wholesome aire And euery plaine was clothed faire With new green maketh small floures To springen here there in field in mede So very good and wholesom be the shoures That it renueth that was old and dede In winter time and out of euery sede Springeth the hearbe so that euery wight Of this season wexeth glad and light And I so glad of the season swete Was happed thus vpon a certaine night As I lay in my bed sleepe full vnmete Was vnto me but why that I ne might Rest I ne wist for there nas earthly wight As I suppose had more hearts ease Than I for I nad sicknesse nor disease Wherefore I meruail greatly of my selfe That I so long withouten sleepe lay And vp I rose three houres after twelfe About the springing of the day And on I put my geare and mine array And to a pleasaunt groue I gan passe Long or the bright sonne vp risen was In which were Okes great streight as a line Vnder
Ermin To lap hem in ayens the cold morrow After the rage of her nights sorrow To take her rest till the sonne arise And when the king in full prudent wise First of al he was not rekeles The knights herts for to sette in pees That euer after I dare 〈◊〉 it wele Ech was to other trew as any stele During her life both in word and dede Vndre a knotte bound of brotherhede And Adrastus the worthy king famous A feast made rich and plenteous To these knights himselfe thereat present And after mete full goodly he hath sent This noble king for his doughters dere Of gentillesse for to make chere To the knights come fro so ferre And like in soth as Lucifer the sterre Gladeth the morrow at his vprising So the ladies at her in comming With the stremes of her eyen clere Goodly apport and womanly manere Countenances and excellent fairenesse To all the Court broughten in gladnesse For the freshnesse of her heauenly cheres So agreable was vnto the straungeres At her entree that in especial Hem thought it like a thing celestial Enhasting hem in full knightly wise Ayenst hem goodly to arise And as they met with humble countenaunce Ful conningly did her obseruaunce Hem conueying in to her sitting place But sothely I haue leiser none ne space To reherse and put in remembraunce Holly the manere of her daliaunce It were to long for you to abide But well I wot that the god Cupide By influence of his mighty hond And the feruence of his firy brond Her meeting first fortuned hath so wele That his arowes of gold and not of stele Yperced han the knights herts tweine Through the brest with such a lusty peine That ther abode sharpe as spere or launce Depe yficched the point of remembraunce Which may not lightly rased be away And thus in joy they driue forth the day In pley and reuel for the knights sake And toward night they her chambre take At â—ue time as her fader bad And on her weie the knights hem lad Reuerently vp by many a staire Taking leue gan anon repaire To her lodging in ful stately a Toure Assigned to hem by the herbeiour And after ipices plenty and the wine In cuppes great wrought of gold full fine Without tarying to bedde straight they gon Touching her rest wheder they sleepe or non Demeth ye louers that in such maner thing By experience haue fully knowledging For it is not declared in my booke But as I find the king all night wooke Thoughtfull in hert the story specifies Musing sore and full of fantasies First aduerting the great worthinesse Of these knights and the semelinesse Her lusty youth her force and her manhode And how they were come of roial blode And this he gan to reuolue about And in his hert hauing a maner of doubt Atwene two hanging in a balance Wheder he should make an aliance Atween his doughters the knights tweine For one thing ay his heart gan constreine The remembraunce of his auision Of which aforne made is amencion Touching the Lion and the wild Bore It nedeth not to reherse it no more Casting alway in his fantasie What it might clerely signifie This darke dreame that was hid and close But on the morow Adrastus vp arose And to the Temple the right way he tooke And gan pray deuoutly on his booke To the goddes of his dreme to specifie And they him bede homward for to hie And to behold in the knights sheeldes The fell beasts painted in the fields Which shall to him be cleere inspection Full plainly making declaracion Of his dreme which he had on the night And Adrastus enhasted him full right In her sheelds wisely to behold Where that he saw as the goddes told In the sheelds hanging vpon hookes The beasts rage with her mortall crookes And to purpos like as write Bochas Polimite ful streite enbraced was In the hide of a fierce Lioun And Tideus aboue his Habergeoun A gipoun had hidous sharpe and hoor Wrought of the bristels of a wild Boore The which beasts as the story leres Were wrought and bete vpon her baneres Displaide brode whan they should fight Wherefore the king whan he had a sight At his repayre in hert was full glad And with a face full demure and sad With his lords that he about him had To the temple he the knights lad And whan they had with all circumstaunces Of Rites old done her obseruaunces Home to the Court they retourne ayein And in hall rich and well besein This worthy king of hert liberall Made a feast solempne and riall Which in deintees surely did excell But it were vein euery cours to tell Her straunge sewes and other soteltees Ne how they sat like her degrees For lacke of time I let ouerslide And after meate Adrastus took aside The knights two and like a prudent man In secree wise thus his tale he gan How Adrastus spake to the Knights in secret touching the marriage of his Daughters Sirs qd he I ne doubt it nought That it is fresh grene ay in your thought How that first by goddes ordinaunce And after next through fates purueiance And by werking of fortunes hond How ye were brought in to this lond Both tweine but now this last night Of whos comming I am full glad and light First in my selfe shortly to expresse When I consider and see the likelinesse Of your persons with the circumstaunces And holle the maner of your gouernaunces Seing full well whereto should I feigne Yee been likely hereafter to atteigne To great estate and habundance of good Through your birth and your rial blood Ye may not faile but ye haue wrong For ye are both manly and right strong And for to set your hertes more at rest My purpose is I hope for the best So that in you be no variance To make a knot as be alliance Atwene you and my doughters two Yf your herts accord we le thereto And for I am fully in despeire To succede for to haue an heire Therefore ye shall haue possession During my life of halfe my region Forth with in hond and all after my day There is no man that thereto shal say nay And sothly after when that I am graue Ech of you shall his part haue Of this kingdome as I haue prouided This is to say it shall be diuided Atwene you two euerich to be crouned Your properties be equite compouned So egaly in euery mans sight That ech of you enjoy shall his right And in your witte ye shall the lond amend And of manhood knightly it defend Ayens our enemies and our mortall foon And for the dayes passed been and goon Of my desires and my lusty youth I am full set for to make it couth That ye shall haue like mine opinioun The gouernaunce of all this Regioun To this entent me seemeth for the best Ye to gouerne and I to liue in rest Fully to follow the lust of
my desires Hunte and hauke in woods and riuers When so euer I haue thereto pleasance And for to haue none other attendance Vnto nothing but to mine ease For which shortly yif it agree and please That I haue said to you that ben so wise And be according vnto your auise Delayeth not but in wordes plein That you seemeth yeue answere ayen And when Adrastus had his tale fined Tideus with hed full low enclined As he that was a veray gentill knight With his power and his full might Full humbly thanked the king Touching his profre and so high a thing And for his party said he would assent Fully of hert neuer to repent To all that euer the king hath said And Polimite was also appaid In the story as it is comprehended On euery part fully is holle descended The kings will to fulfill in dede From point to point there vpon procede Whether so that euer they winne or lese And Tideus made his brother chese Of gentilnesse and of curtesie Which that was most to his fantasie Of the Sisters for to haue to wiue And he in soth chosen hath Argiue Which eldest was full womanly to se And Tideus tooke Deiphile Of her beaute most souereigne excellent Adrastus throughout his lond hath sent For his lords and his Baronage To be present at the mariage Of the knights and make no letting And they ech one come at his bidding In goodly wise meke and full benigne Ayein the day that he did assigne And thidre come full many a lusty knight Full we le besein and many a lady bright From euery coste and many a fresh squier The story seith and many a communer To behold the great rialte And the manere of this solempnite But to tell all the circumstaunces Of just reuel and the diuers daunces The feasts riche and the yeftes great The peinfull sighes and the feruent heat Of loues folke brenning as the glede And deuise of many a solein wede The touches stole and the amorous lokes By sotell craft leide out lines and hokes The Ielous folke to traien and begile In their awaites with many a sondry wile All this in soth descriuen I ne can But wele I the newe fame ranne This meane while with some swift passage Vnto the Thebes of this marriage And be report trew and not fained Tho when thereof the eares hath attained Mine Auctour writ of Ethiocles Touching the honour and the great encres Of Polimite highly magnified And that he newly was allied With Adrastus in the lond of Arge The which thing he greatly gan to charge Dreading inly that this Marriage Shall after time turne to his dammage Sore musing and casting vp and doun The great power and the high renoun Of Adrastus the which of Greeks lond Had all the power soget to his hond Least that he for Polimites sake Would vpon him a new warre make But if that he like the conuentioun At time set deliuer vp the toun To his brother by bond of oth sworne And by couenaunt assured here toforne If ye remember late as I you told Which he was in purpose for to hold But for his best cast him for to vary And thereupon list no lenger tary Liche his desires to shape remedies And first he sent for his next allies In whom he had his most affiaunce For his lords that had gouernaunce Of his kingdome to come to him anon And when they weren present euerichon He said plainly wening for the best That his hert shall neuer be in rest But in sorrow and in a maner of dread Till his brother vtterly be dead That he in Thebes in his roiall sete Might alone reigne in quiete He meant himselfe shortly and none other Vnpertourbed of Polimite his brother And at his counsell diuerse of entent I find written thre folkes were present Some in soth that faithfull were and trew And some also that can change of new And other eke that betwene tweine Couertly could vndre colour feine Commendation of Trouth * THE first seid aboue all thing Trouth should long vnto a king Of his worde not be variable But plein and hool as a contre stable How Trouth is preferred in the Book of Esdre aforne Kings Women and Wine For trouth first without any wene Is chief piller that may a king susteine In joy and honour for to lede his life For trouth sometime had a prerogatife As of Esdre the booke can specifie Record I take of prudent Neemie That worthy kings for all her great pride Wine and women been eke set aside With all power and dominacion Hauing reward in comparison To trouths might and trouths worthinesse For as Esdre pleinly both expresse Who so taketh hede in the same place The influence sothly and the grace Of trouth alone this old Neemie Gat him licence to reedifie The walles new of Hierusalem Which is treasure chief of euery Realme * For Salomon write how yâ— things tweine Trouth and mercy linked in a cheine Trouth and Mercy preserven a King from all Adversity Preserue a king like to his decree From al mischiefe and al aduersitee Alas therefore that any doublenesse Variaunce or elles vnsikernesse Chaunge nor doubleness should not be in a King Change of word or mutabilite Fraud or disceite or instabilite Should in a king haue domination To causen after his destruction Of kings redeth the story doun by rowe And seeth how many haue ben ouertrowe Through her falshod from fortunes whele For vnto God it pleaseth neuer adele A king to be double of entent For it may happe that the world is went Ful oft sith by sleight of her werking But thus the truth God seeth in euery thing Right as it is for there may be no cloude Toforne his sight trouth for to shroude It may be clipsed and derked by deceipt By false engine ligging in aweite As a serpent for to vndermine But at last it will cleerly shine Who yâ— saith nay shew his bright beames For it in soth of kingdomes and of realmes Is bearer vp and conservatrice From al mischief and sothfast mediatrice To God aboue who so list to se To keepe a king in prosperite On euery side as I afferme dar For which ye kings lords beeth we le war Your behests justly for to hold And thinketh how Thebes with his walles old Destroied was platly this is no les For the doublenesse of Ethiocles That with his people sore after bought Onely for that he nat by conseil wrought Of hem that were both trew and wise Him list not werke by her auise But left trouth and set his fantasie To be gouerned by false flatterie The Counsell of false Flatterers That bad him thinke how he was a knight And to hold of force more than of right During his life the lordship of the toun And not to lese his possession For no bonde nor hestes made toforn * But let his brother blowe in an horne Where that him list or
point to point if ye looke it wele And how this Duke without more abode The same day toward Thebes rode Full like in sooth a worthy conquerour And in his coast of cheualry the flour And finally to speaken of this thing With old Creon that was of Thebes king How yâ— he faught slough him like a knight And all his hoast put vnto the flight Yet as some authors make mentioun Or Theseus entred into the toun The women first with pekois with malles With great labour beat downe the walles And in her writing also as they saine Campaneus was in the wals slaine With cast of stones he was so ouerlade For whom Adrastus such a sorrow made That no man may release him of his paine And Iocasta with her doughters twaine Full wilfully oppressed of her cheres To Athenes were sent as prisoners What fell of hem more can I not saine But Theseus mine author write certaine Out of the field ere he from Thebes went He beat it downe and the houses brent The people slough for all her crying loud He made her wals and her toures proud Round about euen vpon a row With the soile to be saied full low That nought was left but the soile bare And to the women in release of her care How that Duke Theseus delivered to the Ladies the Bodies of their Lords The bodies of her Lords that were slaine This worthy Duke restored hath againe But what should I any lenger dwell The old rites by and by to tell Nor the obsequies in order to deuise Nor declare the manner and the guise How the bodies were to ashes brent Nor of the gommes in the flaume spent To make the aire sweeter of reles Of Frankencence Mirre and Aloes Nor how the women round about stood Some with milke and some also with blood And some of hem with vrnes made of gold When the ashes fully were made cold To enclose hem of great affection And beare hem home vnto her region And how that other full deadly of her looke For loue onely of the bones tooke Hem to keepe for a remembraunce That to rehearse euery obseruaunce That was doen in the fires bright The wake plaies during all the night Nor of the wrastling telling point by point Of hem that were naked and annoint How eueriche other lugge can and shake Ne how the women haue her leaue take Of Theseus with full great humblesse Thanking him of his high worthinesse That him list vpon her wo to rew And how that he his freedome to renew With the women of his high largesse Iparted hath eke of his richesse And how this Duke Theseus hem forsooke And to Athenes the right way tooke With Laurer crowned in signe of victory And the palme of conquest and of glory Did his honour duly vnto Marte And how the women wept when they parte How King Adrastus with the Ladies repaired home ayen to Arge With King Adrastus home ayein to Arge To tellen all it were too great a charge And eke also as ye shall vnderstand At ginning I tooke no more on hand By my promise in conclusion But to rehearse the destruction Of mighty Thebes and no more And thus Adrastus with his lockes hore Still abode in Arge his citee Vnto his end ye get no more of me Sauf as mine authour liketh to compile After that he liued but a while For he was old ere the siege began And thought and sorrow so vpon him ran The which in sooth shorted hath his daies And time set Death maketh no delaies And all his joy passed was and gone For of his lords aliue was not one But slaine at Thebes ye known all the caas And when this King in Arge buried was Full royally with great solemnitee It was accounted in bookes ye may see Four hundred year tofore the foundation of Rome was the City of Thebes destroyed CCCC yeare as made is mention Tofore the building and foundation Of great Rome so royal and so large When the Ladies departed from Arge To her countries full trist and desolate Lo here the fine of conteke and debate Lo here the might of Mars yâ— froward sterre Lo what it is to beginne a werre How it concludeth ensample ye may see First of yâ— Grekes sith of the Thebans cite For eyther part hath matter to complaine And in her strife ye may see things twaine How all the worthy Blood of Greece destroyed was at siege and the City brought to nought to final loss of both parties The worthy blood of all Greece spilt And Thebes eke of Amphion first built Without recure brought to ruine And with the soile made plaine as any line To wildernesse tourned and deserte And Grekes eke fall into pouerte Both of her men and also of her good For finally all the gentill blood Was shed out there her wounds wer so wide To losse finall vnto either side For in the warre is none exception Of high estate ne low condition But as fate and fortune both in fere List to dispose with her double chere Bellona goddesse is of battaile And Bellona yâ— goddesse in her chare * Aforn prouideth Wherfore euery man beware Vnauised warre to beginne For no man wote who shall lese or winne And hard it is when either part leseth And doubtlesse neither of hem cheseth That they must in all such mortall rage Maugre her lust feelen great damage It may not be by mannes might restreined And warre in sooth was neuer ordeined But for sinfull folkes to chastise And as the Bible truly can deuise How that War first began in Heaven by the high Pride and Surquedy of Lucifer High in heauen of pride and surquedy Lucifer fader of Enuy The old Serpent the Leuiathan Was the first that euer warre began When Michael the heauenly champion With his feres venquished the Dragon And to hell cast him downe full low The which Serpent hath the Coccle sow Through all earth of enuy and debate * That vnneths is there none estate Without strife can liue in charitee For euery man of high and low degree Enuieth now that other should thriue And ground cause why that men so striue Is couetise and false Ambition That eueriche would haue domination Ouer other and trede him vnderfoot Which of all sorrow ginning is and root And Christ recordeth rede looke ye may se For lacke of loue with mischeef there shall be Surget gens contra gentem Luc. xxi For o people as he doth deuise Ayenst another of hate shall arise And after telleth what diuisions There shall be betweene regions Eueriche busie other to oppresse And all such strife as he beareth witnesse Kalends been I take his word to borrow And a ginning of mischeefe and of sorrow Men haue it found by experience But the venim and the violence Of strife of warre of conteke and of debate That maketh londs bare and desolate Shall be proscript and voided out of place And Martes swerdes shall
supplien f. make entreaty supporaile upholder superlatife l. highest swyre b. neck swich b. such sweuen a dream swinker a labourer sawtry f. dancing instrumental musick or the instrument swilke b. such swolow b. gulf switch b. quickly swaine b. a servant swow a sleep swelt b. sowned swe rt d. sun-burned black swough b. sound swith b. swift swiftly swa b. also so swelwen b. devour swonken b. laboured swoll b. swelled swegh impetus b. force swelt b. die sykes sighs syker b. assurance steddy sykerd d. allied sye b. to fall syth b. afterward times T. Tabard d. A Jacket or sleeveless Coat worn in times past by Noblemen in the Wars but now only by Heralds and is called their Coat of Arms in service It was the sign of an Inn in Southwark by London within the which was the Lodging of the Abbot of Hyde by Winchester This was the Hostelry where Chaucer and the other Pilgrims met together and with Henry Baily their Host accorded about the manner of their Journey to Canterbury And whereas through time it had been much decaied it was then by Mr. J. Preston with the Abbots house thereto adjoyned newly repaired and with convenient Rooms much encreased for the Receipt of many Guests It is now the Sign of the Talbot tapinage f. secresie slilyness tailages toll customs tapes b. strings Taurs Mars therein Taurus being properly Venus house under the which Sign this woman was born Mars then ruling in the same prognosticateth great Incontinency tackle b. feather arrow taas f. d. an heap taboure a drum talages payments talagiers tole-gatherers tapite d. tapestry taling d. telling tales tacoy to pluck to or draw tabouren d. sound targe l. a target tatch tetch b. craft tatterwags b. raggs jaggs tale rayl tane b. take talent f. i. desire tassed b. tasselled tassey to aslay testes certain devices to try gold and silver testeres f. skulls sallets tene b. sorrow testifie f. wild brained teme an Ingot of metal teme g. a text termine l. to end terrestre f. l. earthly temen lay or bind temps f. l. time tell no store take no regard tetch b. a trick a stain frowardness tenhaunce set out tewell b. chimney tercelet d. Falco masculus textuele textele l. skillful in the text thrages busie matters Theophrast In his Book De Frugalitate else in his Treatise De Loquacitate mulierum therout without threke thrust thirled pierced thence catch find yet thanks acts enterprises labour reward thewes qualities thenne thence thilke same threpe b. affirm thare there also needeth thirled jugulavit strangled thacked b. beat smote thringing thrusting clustering together throw a short time thriueth b. springeth tho those although thascry outcry thorruke an heap thrilled killed thrope d. a village thankheeld thank-worthy theke such throw anger haste threst oppress thre mot the blast of an horn then although thonke held d. bestow labour or liking thopposite l. overagainst tholed b. suffred thauentaile coat of male thringe d. thrust thedom b. thriving theich plain smooth thore before threte curse threaten timbesters plaiers on sounding Instruments tid b. hapned befallen tiflers triflers tite b. befalleth tilleth b. ploweth tiren tear rent tides b. hapneth tissu f. a lace told took care made accompt tout b. hole * Tortuous Tortuous the signs are which are called Obliquae ascendentia that is all from Capricorn to Cancer So he calleth the Ascendent unfortunate because it is one of those signs and had at the same time the Lord of that sign in his fall which is in the Sign contrary to his exaltation toteth b. looketh tone b. claws * Tolitane tables Alphonsus tables to calculate the motion of the Planets for the meridian of Taledo towell tayle torcencions using extortion toder b. the other tomblesters tumblers told no tale took no care tole f. clout toy tournet f. a tower tort i. extortion torrets rings or the fastning of dogs Collars totti b. dizzie totoler prater Tramissene a City in Barbary in the Province sometime called Mauritania Tingitana or Caesariensis as hath Melanghton traue b. a trevis to snoo a wild horse in trate trot old drab transcend l. pass exceed trepeget an Instrument to cast stones trowen to trust trice pull trist meta a mark tressed broided up trentall thirty masses tresse funiculus d. the broiding up of the hair tretis streight trauers f. overthwart a curtain trip b. a piece trew truce trausmew i. change trill b. d. to turn to drop trenchant f. bending also sharp trayle f. an arbour trist l. b. sad also to believe traiâ—rie f. treason tregetor a iugler troce d. wreath or wyth tresses hair braids of hair truandise d. idleness trete handle trects streight treget deceit trophe i. victory tulsurelike f. tilekill-like tull lure allure twittel b. a knife twin b. depart also separate twiereth singeth twy d. two twynned b. parted twight b. pulled twyn to take away to depart to turn twifold d. double twitten b. carved out twist ramus b. a bow twist b. pinch hold twy tâ—â—y d. two V. Valerie and Theophrast Some will have us read Valery and his Paraphrast This Valery wrote a Book De non ducenda uxore with a Paraphrase upon it which I have seen in the Study of Mr. Allen of Oxford a man of as rare Learning as he is stored with rare Books His Name was Gualterus Maape Arch-deacon of Oxford in the days of King Henry the Second but changed his Name because he would not have the Author known and termed it Valerius ad Rusinum But yet there was one called Valerius who wrote a Book of the same Argument printed among St. Jerome's Works And likewise one called Theophrastus Eresius who among many things did write a Book wherein he reasoneth whether it be convenient for a wise man to marry Johannes Sarisburiensis in his Policraticon hath translated some things in this Book out of Greek and Latin as may appear lib. 8. cap. 11. De molestiis oneribus Conjugiorum out of which Chapter Chaâ—cer hath taken much for this Argument as may be seen in the Merchants Tale but more in the Wife of Bath's Prologue where between 30 and 40 Verses are translated from thence And if the whole Work at this day were by some sufficient Scholar translated it would deserve as much commendation as many Books which learned men not without great commendation have heretofore translated valence i. cloth of Valencia in Spain vapoured l. ascended vasselage f. service subjection van f. a fan vauesoure f. a Lord. Vernacle a cloth or napkin wherein was the figure of Christ's Face vernage i. sweet wine to be drank in Winter vent fore-part verge f. a garden vermell vermayle f. red ventosing f. cupping veiued weved put away verre f. glass vechons Hedghogs vecke i. an old woman veneri l. hunting Vigils It was the manner in times past upon festival Evens called Vigiliae for Parishioners to meet in their Church-houses or Church-yards and there to have a drinking fit
shew that Tideus and Polimite are combined in Friendship In the second Tideus's Message is taught and the Treacheries disclosed The third doth speak of Harmonia and of Amphiaraus who hid himself The fourth setteth out the Battels of the seven Kings The fifth noteth out the outrage of the Women of Lemnos toucheth the Adder and the Death of Archemorus In the sixth the games are declared In the seventh Amphiaraus the wise man is no more seen In the eighth Tideus the stay of the Greeks is slain In the ninth Hippomedon and Parthenope die In the tenth Capanâ—us in scaling the Walls is slain In the eleventh Etteocles and Polynice kill one another The twelfth setteth out Adrastus their hard case bewailing and Thebes burning Benedicite Praise ye Benedictus Blessed Cor meum eructavit My heart hath belched out Consummatum est It is finished Cum iniquis deputatus est He was reckoned among the wicked Consumere me vis Wilt thou destroy me Cur me dereliquisti Why hast thou forsaken me Coeli enarram The Heavens declare Corpus Domini The Lords Body De septem peccatis mortalibus Of the seven deadly Sins De Invidia Of Envy De Ira Of Anger De Accidia Of Accidy De Avaritia Of Covetousness De Luxuria Of Letchery Dolorum meum My Grief Domine Laba c. O Lord open my Lips Domine Dominus noster O Lord our God Domine est Terra The Earth is the Lords Dominus regnavit The Lord is King Explicit secunda pars poenitentiae sequitur pars tertia Here endeth the second part of Repentance and here followeth the third Fuerunt mihi Lachrimae me in Desertâ— Panes Die ac nocte My Tears were my Bread in the Wilderness Day and Night Faciem tuam abscondis Dost thou hide thy Face Jesus Nazarenus Jesus of Nazareth Irasâ—imini nolite peccare Be angry but sin not In nomine Jesu In the Name of Jesus In manus â—uas Into thy hands Jube Domine Command Lord. Jubilate Rejoyce Ignotum per ignotius One Obscurity by a more Obscurity Libera me Save me Laudate Praise ye Mulier est Hominis Confusio A Woman is Mans Destruction Non est Dolor sicut Dolor meus There is no Grief like to mine Non est aliud Nomen sub Coelo c. There is no other Name under Heaven O admirabile O wonderful O Deus Deus meus O God my God Pone me juxta te Set me by thee Qui Gladio percutit He that striketh with the Sword Quia tulerunt Dominum meum Because they have taken away my Lord. Quid mali feci tibi What harm have I done thee Quia non est qui consoletur me Because there is none to comfort me Quod dilexi multum Because I love much Quod sic repente praecipitas me That thou doest so suddenly cast me down Radix omnium malorum est Cupiditas Covetousness is the root of all evil Remedium contra Peccatum acidiae An help against the sin of wanhope Remedium contra Peccatum Avaritiae An help against the Sin of Covetousness Remedium contra Peccatum Luxuriae An help against the Sin of Lechery Sanctus Deus Holy God Sanctissimus Most holy Sequitur de Gula Concerning Gluttony Sequitur secunda pars Poenitentiae Here followeth the second part of Repentance Suspensus in Patibulo Hung upon the Cross Sed non respondes mihi But thou dost not answer me Sagittae tuae infixae sunt mihi Thy Arrows have pierced me sore Solum superest Sepulchrum There only remaineth a Grave Tanquam Cera liquescens Like melting Wax Tuam animam pertransibit Gladius The Sword shall pierce thy Soul Trahe me post te Draw me after thee Tu autem And thou Te Deum amoris Thee the God of Love Turpe lucrum Filthy Gain Vbi posuerunt eum Where have they laid him Velociter exaudi me Speedily hear me Venite Come ye The French in Chaucer translated A Moi qui voy To me which see Bien moneste Well admonished Bien loialement Well and dutifully C'est sans dire c. It is without saying c. Don vient la destinie From whom cometh destiny En diu est In God is Entierement vostre Yours wholly Estreignes moy de coeur joyeux Strain me with a joyful heart Et je scay bien que ce n'est pas mon tort And I know well that it is not my hurt Jay tout perdu mon temps mon labeur I have altogether lost my Time and Labour Jay en vous toute ma fiance I repose all my trust in you Je vouldray I will Je vous dy I say to you Je vous dy sans doute I say to you without doubt La belle dame sans mercy The fair Lady without mercy L'ardant espoir en mon coeur point est mort d'avoir l'amour de celle que je desire The earnest hope within my heart is not dead to have the love of her whom I desire Meulx un One best in heart Onques puis leuer I can never rise Or à mon coeur Now to my Heart Or à mon coeur ce qui vouloy Now to my Heart that which I would Pleures pour moy s'il vou plaist amoreux Weep for me if you please lovely Lady Plus ne pourroy I can do no more Qui est la Who is there Qui bien aime tard oublie He that loveth well is slow to forget Sans ose je dire Without shall I be bold to say Sans que jamais c. Without ever c. Sans ose je ou diray But dare I or shall I say Si douce est la marguerite So sweet is the daisie son mon joly coeur endormi Her lively Heart and mine fallen asleep Soyes asseurè Be ye assured Sâ—s la feville devers moy Upon the Leaf towards me Tant que je puis As much as I can Tant me fait mal departir de ma dame It grieveth me so much to depart from my Lady Vn sans changer One without changing The Authors cited by G. Chaucer in his Works by Name declared ALhazen an Arabian wrote seven Books of Perspectives Arnoldus de nova villa did write the Book called Rosarium Philosophorum Anselmus Bishop of Canterbury a great Writer in Divinity 1061. Agathon a Philosopher of Samos did write Histories Augustine that famous Doctor and Bishop wrote more Books than ever did any in the Church of the Latines Avicen a Physician of Sevil wrote a multitude of Books Averroys a Physician of Corduba floruit 1149. Albumasar alias Japhar a great Astrologian wrote of sundry things in that Art Aesopus a Philosopher born in Phrygia in the days of Croesus King of Lydia to whom he dedicated the Fables which he wrote Aristotle a famous Philosopher Scholar to Plato and Master to King Alexander He was 345 years before Christ Ambrose the worthy Bishop of Millain in the year of our Lord 373. Alcabutius
a Writer in Astronomy as of the Conjunction of the Planets c. Alanus among other things wrote a Book De Planctu Naturae B. Bocatius born at Florence in Italy set out many things in his own Tongue claruit 1375. Bernardus de Gordonio a Frenchman born Reader of Physick at Mount Pelier Bernardus Abbas Clarevallensis a Burgonian and a singular Divine set forth many things 1140. Basilius Magnus Bishop of Caesarea 367. C. Cato a learned man among the Romans before the Incarnation 182. Corinna a Theban Woman and a Lyrike Poet she wrote 50 Books and Epigrams as Suidas and Pausanias report Claudianus born in Alexandria in Egypt among many things wrote a Book of the stealing away of Proserpina Crisippus did write a Book against the pleasure of the Body Constantine the Monk did translate and write many things in Physick and among other Lib. de coitu quibus modis augeatur diminuatur D. Dante 's Aligeras an Italian and born in Florence lived 1341. Dares Phrigius did write the Trojan War in Greek where he himself was a Souldier Ditis Historicus did write a Book of the Trojan War found in a certain Sepulchre Damascenus Presbiter did write many things in the Greek Tongue Dioscorides a worshipful Knight of Egypt wrote in Greek of the natures of divers Herbs He lived under Cleopatra and Antonius E. Aesculapius did write a Book of the original cause and descriptions of Diseases F. Franciscus Petrarcha an Italian born did write when Chaucer was a young man floruit 1374. G. Gatisden and Gilbertin Englishmen born and writers in Physick Guido de Columna a Sicilian did write of the Trojan War 1287. Galfride Vinesause was a Norman by his Parents but born in England he did write in his Book entituled de artificio loquendi by way of Example of Mourning under the Rhetorical figure of Apostrophe a complaint for the Death of Richard the First who was slain with an Arrow at the Siege of the Castle of Chalne in Normandy and lived in the time of King John An. Dom. 1210 Galenus a most singular Physician did write a multitude of Books 160. Gregorius Magnus did write much in Divinity claruit An. 369. Galfridus Monumethensis an Englishman born translated into our Tongue the History of England floruit 1152. H. Homerus the chiefest of all Poets wrote in the Greek Tongue two works the one called his Ilias and the other his Odyssea Helowis Maximinian Livian Aurora Zansis and divers others alledged by Chaucer have none or few of their works extant Haly wrote a Book of the Compositions of Medicines Hieronimus Stridonensis did write among other things a defence of Virginity in two Books against Jovinian Hippocrates Cous a most ancient Physician and Prince of all others lived in the days of Artaxerxes Hermes an Egyptian Disciple to Plato did write of many strange things I. Josephus wrote in Greek the Battel and Destruction of the Jews He was after the Incarnation seventy six years Johannes Damascenus a Writer in Physick 1158. Innocentius Papa born in Company wrote a Book of the happy state of Mankind Juvenalis a Poet which wrote Satyrs Justinian an Emperour of Rome who caused to be written the Books of the Laws called the Digests Institutions and the Code containing the Decrees of the Emperours He was after the Incarnation five hundred and seventy years L. Lollius an Italian Historiographer born in the City of Vrbine Lucanus a famous Poet that wrote the Battel between Caesar and Pompey M. Macrobius Aurellius wrote a Commentary on Scipio's Dream Marcus Aurelius Cassiodorus a Monk among many things wrote of the state of the Soul Marcianus Capella did write of the Liberal Sciences and also of the marriage of Philologi and Mercury O. Ovidius a famous Latin Poet and Orator advanced to be Senator of Rome He lived when Christ was conversant on Earth P. Petrus Alfonsus a Jew turned to the Faith before called Moses was baptised by King Alphonsus and bare his Name he did write many Books 1100. Pamphilus Presbiter Kinsman to Eusebius after much pains in writing suffered Martyrdom in Caesaria under the Persecution of Maximinus Papinius Statius a Neapolitan wrote of the Destruction of Thebes He lived under Domitian Ptolemeus lived in the Time of Anthony the Emperour he wrote divers works and restored out of Darkness the Mathematical Sciences Pithagoras an excellent Philosopher of Samos at whose Wisdom Plato did wonder He was before the Incarnation 522 years Petrus Cassiodorus an Italian a Noble man and learned did write to the Church of England and perswaded them to cast off their Obedience to the Roman Bishops and to beware of their Tyranny 1302. R. Rasis an Arabian Physician Rufus a Physician of Ephesus in the time of Trajan the Emperour S. Statius a noble Poet which wrote twelve Books of the Theban War Senior Zadith did write a Book of Alchimy Gesner Seneca a Spaniard born in Corduba a singular Philosopher did write many things he lived in the time of Nero by whom he was put to Death Serapion an Arabian did write of the Composition of Medicines Suetonius wrote the Lives of the Roman Emperours Strode a man of great Learning Fellow of Merton Colledge in Oxford 1380. T. Tertullian did write a Book of the attire of Women Titus Livius the most excellent Writer of the Romans History Tho. Bradwarden was Bishop of Canterbury who did write a Book De causa Dei contra Pelagianos and dedicated it to the Society of Merton Colledge in Oxford He did write many other Books one of the Trinity one of Predestination one of all Sciences one of the Principles of Geometry also a book of the Reward of them which shall be saved and another called the Sum of Divinity He flourished in the year of Grace 1270. Trotula set forth a book of the cure of Diseases in and after Childbirth Theophrastus Eresius Disciple to Aristotle writing a great number of Books hath one De frugalitate Tullius a Senator of Rome Father of Eloquence and pure Fountain of the Latin Tongue He flourished about forty years before Christs Incarnation V. Valerius Maximus wrote to Tiberius Caesar a Book of the memorable deeds and sayings of worthy Men. Virgilius the most famous Poet of Mantua whose Life Petrus Crinitus hath set down at large in Lib. 3. de Poetis Latinis Vitellio did write ten books of Perspectives W. William S. Aymour a Frenchman did write a Commentary on the Apocalipse much inveighing against the Pope and was therefore banished and his Books burned ADVERTISEMENT WHilst this Work was just finishing we hapned to meet with a Manuscript wherein we found the Conclusion of the Cook 's Tale and also of the Squires Tale which in the Printed Books are said to be lost or never finish'd by the Author but coming so late to our hands they could not be inserted in their proper places therefore the Reader is desir'd to add them as here directed Immediately after what
's and Petrarch who had done the same for the Italian Tongue Alanus for the French and Johannes Mena for the Spanish neither was Chaucer inferiour to any of them in the performance hereof and England in this respect is much beholden to him as Leland well noteth Anglia Chaucerum veneratur nostra poetam Cui veneres debet patria lingua suas Our England honoureth Chaucer Poet as principal To whom her Country Tongue doth owe her Beauties all Besides those Books of his which we have in print he wrote divers others as De Vulcani veru De Leone eius dignitate Comoedias Tragoedias Facetias Jocos Jack Vpland against Friars Now Printed And His A. B. C. Now Printed Others I have seen without any Authors Name in the hands of Mr. Stow that painful Antiquary which for the Invention I would verily judge to be Chaucer's were it not that Words and Phrases carry not every where Chaucer's Antiquity Mr. William Thynn in his first printed Book of Chaucer's Works with one Column on a side had a Tale called the Pilgrims Tale which was more odious to the Clergy than the Speech of the Plowman The Tale began thus In Lincolneshire fast by a fenne Standeth a religious house who doth it kenne The Argument of which Tale as also the occasion thereof and the cause why it was left out of Chaucer's Works shall hereafter be shewed if God permit in Mr. Thynn's Comment upon Chaucer and the Tale it self published if possibly it can be found Now concerning those Books which we have in print The Canterbury Tales for the most part were of his own Invention yet some of them translated and penned in King Richard the Second's Days and after the Insurrection of Jack Straw which was in the fourth Year of the same King for in the Tale of the Nuns Priest he maketh mention thereof The Romaunt of the Rose was translated out of French Troilus and Creseid called Trophe in the Lumbard Tongue was translated out of Latin as in the Preface to the second Book of Troilus and Creseid he confesseth in these Words To every Lover I me excuse That of no sentement I this endite But out of Latin in my Tongue it write Mary Magdalen translated out of St. Origen The Ballad Fly from the Prease made by Chaucer on his Death-bed The Letter of Cupid is none of Chaucer's doing but was compiled by Thomas Occleve of the Office of the privy Seal sometime Chaucer's Scholar The which Occleve for the Love he bare to his Master caused his Picture to be truly drawn in his Book De Regimine Principis dedicated to Henry the Fifth the which I have seen and according to which this in the beginning of this Book was done by Mr. Spede who hath annexed thereto all such Coats of Arms as any way concern the Chaucers as he found them travelling for that Purpose at Ewelm and at Wickham Occleve in that Book where he setteth down Chaucer's Picture addeth these Verses Although his life be queint the resemblaunce Of him that hath in me so fresh livelines That to put other men in remembraunce Of his person I have here the likenes Do make to the end in soothfastnes That they that of him have lost thought and mind By this peinture may again him find His Death GEffrey Chaucer departed out of this World the 25th of October in the Year of our Lord 1400 after he had lived about 72 Years Thus writeth Bale out of Leland Chaucerus ad canos devenit sensitque senectutem morbum esse dum causas suas Londini curaret c. Chaucer lived till he was an old Man and found old Age to be grievous and whilst he followed his Causes at London he died and was buried at Westminster The old Verses which were written on his Grave at the first were these Galfridus Chaucer vates fama poesis Maternae hac sacra sum tumulatus humo But since Mr. Nicholas Brigham did at his own Cost and Charges erect a fair marble Monument for him with his Picture resembling that done by Occleve and these Verses Qui fuit Anglorum vates ter maximus olint Gaufredus Chaucer conditur hoc tumulo Annum si quaeras domini si tempora vitae Ecce notae subsunt quae tibi cuncta notant Anno Domini 1400 die mensis Octob. 25. About the Ledge of which Tomb were these Verses now clean worn out Si rogites quis eram forsan te fama docebit Quod si fama negat mundi quia gloria transit Haec monumenta lege Now it shall not be amiss to these Epitaphs to add the Judgements and Reports of some learned men of this worthy and famous Poet. And first of all Thomas Occleve who lived in his Days writeth thus of him in his Book De Regimine Principis But welaway so is mine hert woe That the honour of English Tongue is deed Of which I wont was counsail have and reed O Master dere and Fadre reuerent My Master Chaucer floure of Eloquence Mirror of fructuous entendement O universal Fadre of Science Alas that thou thine excellent prudence In thy bed mortal mightest not bequeath What eyld Death Alas why would she thee sle O Death that didest not harme singler in slaughter of him But all the land it smerteth But nathelesse yet hast thou no power his Name sle His hie vertue afterteth Vnslain fro thee which ay us lifely herteth With Books of his ornat enditing That is to all this land enlumining The same Author again in the same Book My dear Maister God his soule quite And Fader Chaucer faine would have me taught But I was young and leered lite or nought Alas my worthy Maister honorable This Lands very treasure and richesse Death by thy death hath harme irreparable Vnto us done her vengeable duresse Dispoiled hath this lond of the sweetnesse Of Rhetorige for unto Tullius Was never man so like among us Also who was heire in Philosophy To Aristotle in our Tongue but thou The steppes of Virgil in Poese Thou suedest eken men know well inough That combre World that thee my Maister slough Would I slaine were Death was too hastife To renne on thee and reve thee thy life She might have tarried her vengeance a while To that some man had egal to thee be Nay let be that she knew wele that this I le May never man forth bring like unto thee And her Office needs do must she God had her so I trust all for the best O Maister Maister God thy Soul rest Dan John Lidgate likewise in his Prologue of Bocchas of the Fall of Princes by him translated saith thus in his Commendation My Maister Chaucer with his fresh Comedies Is dead alas chief Poet of Britaine That whilome made full pitous Tragedies The faule also of Princes he did complaine As he that was of making soveraine Whom all this land should of right preferre Sith of our Language he was
At Babilon was his soueraigne see In which his glorie and his delight he had Of Hierusalem he did do gelde anon The fayrest children of the blood royall And make each of hem to been his thrall Among all other Daniel was one That was the wisest of euerichone For he the dremes of the king expouned Whereas in Caldee clerkes were there none That wist to what fine his dreme sounded This proude king let make a statu of gold Sixty cubites long and seuen in brede To the which image both young and old Commanded he lout and haue in drede Or in a forneis ful of flames rede He should be deed that would not obey But neuer would assent to that dede Daniel ne his yong felowes twey This king of kings so proud and elate Weend God that sitteth in maiestie Ne might him nat berefe of his estate But sodainly he lost his dignitie And like a beast him seemed for to be And ete hey as an oxe and lay therout In raine and with wilde beasts walked he Till a certaine time was come about And like an Egles fethers were his heere 's And his neiles also like birds clawes were God releeued him at certaine yeeres And yaue him wit then with many a tere He thonked God and all his life in fere Was he to doe amisse or more trespace And ere that he layed was on his bere He knew that God was ful of might grace Balthaser HIs sonne which that high Balthasare That held the reign after his faders day He by his fader could not beware For proude he was of heart and of array And eke an Ydolaster was he aie His high estate assured him in pride But fortune cast him downe there he lay And suddainly his reigne gan deuide A feast he made vnto his lords all Vpon a time he made hem blith be And then his officers gan he call Goth bring forth all the vessels qd he Which that my father in his prosperitie Out of the temple of Hierusalem beraft And to our Gods thonkes yelden we Of honour that our elders with vs laft His wife his lords and his concubines Aie drunken whiles her appetites last Out of these noble vessels foundrie wines And on a wall this king his eyen cast Aâ—â— saw an hond armelesse that wrote fast For feare of which he quoke and sighed sore This hond that Balthaser made sore agast Wrote Mane techel phares and no more In al that londe Magicien was ther non That could expoune what this letter ment But Daniel expouned it anon And said O king God thy father sent Glory and honour reign tresour and rent And he was proud nothing God he drad And therfore great wrath God vpon him sent And him beraft the reigne that he had He was out cast of mans company With Asses was his habitation And eate haie as a beast in wete and drie Till that he knew by wit and reason That God of heauen hath domination Ouer euery reigne and euery creature And then had God of him compassion And him restored his reigne and his figure Eke thou that art his sonne art proud also And knowest all these things priuely And art rebell to God and his fo Thou dranke eke of his vessels boldly Thy wife eke and thy wenches sinfully Dronke of the same vessels sundry winis And heried false gods cursedly Therefore to thee shapen great pine is This hond was sent fro God that on the wal Wrote Mane techel phares trust me Thy reigne is doen thou wotest not all Diuided is thy realme and it shall be To Medes and to Perciens giuen qd he And that same night the king was slaw And Darius occupied his dignitie Though he thereto had neither right ne law * Lordings here ensample mowe ye take How that in lordship is no sikernesse For when that fortune woll a man forsake She beareth away his reigne his richesse And his friends both more and lesse And what man hath friends throgh fortune Mishap woll make hem enemies as I gesse This prouerbe is full soth full commune Zenobia ZEnobia of Palmerie Queene As writeth Perciens of her noblesse So worthy was in armes and so kene That no wight passed her in hardinesse Ne in linage ne in other gentilnesse Of kings blood of Perce she is discended I say that she had not most of fairenesse But of her shape shee might not be amended From her childhood I find that she fled Office of a woman and to wood she went And many a wilde Hartes blood she shed With arrowes broad that she to hem sent She was so swift that she hem hent And when that she was elder she would kill Lions Libards and Beeres all to rent And in her armes weld hem at her will She durst the wild beasts dennes to seeke And renne in the mountaines all the night And sleepe vnder a bush and she could eke Wrastell by very force and by very might With any yong man were he neuer so wight There might nothing in her armes stond She kept her maidenhead from euery wight To no man dained she to be bound But at last her friendes hath her maried To Odenat a prince of that countrie All were it so that she hem long taried And ye shall vnderstond how that he Had such fantasies like as had she But natheles when they were knit in fere They liued in joy and in felicite For ech of hem had other lefe and dere Saue one thing shee nolde neuer assent By no way that he should by her lie But ones for it was her plaine entent To haue a childe the world to multiply And also so sone as she might espie That she was not with child with that deed Then would she suffer him to do his fantasie Eftsones and not but one 's out of dreed And if she were with child at that cast No more should he with her play that game Till fully fourtie dayes were past Then would she ones suffer him the same All were this Odenat wild or tame He gate no more of her for thus she saied * It was to wiues letcherie and shame In other case if men with hem plaied Two sonnes by this Odenat had she The which she kept in vertue and lettrure But now vnto our tale againe turne we I say that so worshipfull a creature And wise therewith and large with measure So penible in warre and curteis eke Ne more labour might in war endure Was non though all this world men wold seek Her rich aray ne might not be told As well in vessell as in her clothing She was all clad in pierrie and in gold And eke she left not for none hunting To haue of sundry tongues full knowing When that she leisure had for to entend To learne in bookes was all her liking How she in vertue her life might dispend And shortly of this storie for to treat As doughtie was her husbond as she So that they conquered
many reignes great In the Orient with many a faire cite Appertainaunt vnto the maiestie O Rome with strength held the mfull fast Ne neuer might her foemen doe her fle All the while that Odinates dayes last Her battailes who so list hem for to rede Againe Sapor the king and other mo And how all this proces fill in dede Why she conquered and her title therto And after of her mischiefe and her wo How that she was besieged and itake Let him to my maister Petrarke go That writeth ynough of this I vndertake When Odenat was dead she mightily The realmes held and with her owne honde Ayenst her foes she fought so truely That ther nas no prince ne king in all the lond But were full glad if they that grace fond That she ne should vpon his londe warrey With her they made aliaunce by bond To be in peace and let hem ride and pley The Emperour of Rome Claudius Ne him beforne the Romain Galien Ne durst neuer be so coragious Ne non Armen ne non Egipcien Ne Surrien ne none Arabien Within the field that durst with her fight Lest that she would hem with her hondes sleen Or with her maine put hem to flight In kings habite wenten her sonnes two As the lawfull heires of her realmes all And Hermanno and Titamallo Her names were as Perciens hem call * But aie fortune hath in her honie gall This mightie Queene may no while endure Fortune out of her reigne made her to fall To wretchednesse and to misauenture Aurelian when that the gouernance Of Rome came into his honds twey He shope vpon this Queene to do vengeance And with his legions he tooke his way Toward Zenobia and shortly for to say He made her flie and at last her hent And fettered her and eke her children tway And wan the land home to Rome he went Emongest other things that he wan Her chair that of gold was wrought pierre This great Romaine this Aurelian Hath with him lad that for men should it see All beforne his triumph walked she With golden chaines on her necke honging Crowned she was as after he degre And full of pierre charged her clothing Alas fortune she that whilom was Dredefull to kings and to Emperours Now gaureth all the people on her alas And she that helmed was in stark stoures And wan by force townes strong and toures Shall on her head now weare autremite And she that bare the septer full of floures Shall beare a distafe her cost for to quite Nero. ALthough that Nero were as vicious As any fende that lieth full low adown Yet he as telleth vs Suetonius All this world had in subiectioun Both East and West and Septentrioun Of Rubies Saphires and of Perles white Were all his clothes broudred vp and down For he in gemmes greatly gan delite More delicate more pompous of aray More proude was neuer Emperour than he That like cloth that he had weared o day After that time he nold it neuer see Nettes of golde threde had he great plente To fish in Tiber when him list to play His lusts were as law in his degre For fortune as his friend would him obay He Rome brent for his dilicacie The Senatours he slue vpon a day To heare how her wiues would weepe crie And slow his brother and by his sister lay His mother made he in a pitous aray For he her wombe let slit to behold Where he conceiued was so welaway That he so little of his mother told No teares out of his eyen for that sight He came but saied a faire woman was she Great wonder is that he coud or might Be Domisman of her dead beaute The wine to bring him commaunded he And dranke anon none other wo he made * When might is joined vnto cruelte Alas too deepe will the venume wade In youth a maister had this Emperour To teach him lettrure and courtesie For of moralite he was the flour And in his time but if his bookes lie And whiles his maister had of him maistrie He made him so cunning and so souple That long time it was or tyrannie Or any vice durst in him encouple Senek his maister was of which I deuise Because Nero had of him such drede For he for his vices would him chastise Discreetly as by word and not by dede Sir he would say an Emperour mote nede Be vertuous and hate tyrannie For which he made him in a bathe to blede On both his armes till he must die This Nero had eke a customaunce In youth ayenst his maister to rise And afterward him thought great grevaunce Because he often would him chastise Therefore he made him to die in this wise He chose in a bathe to die in this manere Rather than to have another turmentise And thus hath Nero slaine his maister dere Now fell it so that fortune list no longer The high pride of Nero to cherishe For tho he were strong yet was she stronger She thought thus by God I am too nice To set a man that is fulfilled of vice In high degree and an Emperour him call By God out of his seat I woll him trice When he least weneth soonest shall he fall The people rose upon him on a night For his defaut and when he it aspied Out of his dores anon he hath him dight Alone and there he wend have been allied He knocked fast and aye the more he cried The faster shet they the dores all Tho wist he well he had himselfe beguiled And went his way no lenger durst he call The people cried rombled up and down That with his ears he heard how they saied Where is this false tyrant this Neroun For feare full neere out of his wit he braied And to his gods right pitously he praied For succour but it might not betide For drede of this him thought that he deid And ran into a garden him to hide And in this garden found he chorles twey Sitting by a fire great and red And to the chorles two he gan to prey To slea him and to gird off his hed That to his body when he were ded Were no despite done for his defame Himselfe he slough he could no better red Of which fortune lough had then game Holofernes WAs neuer capitaine vnder a king That reignes mo put in subjectioun Ne stronger was in field of all thing As in his time ne greater of renoun Ne more pompous in high presumptioun Than Holoferne which fortune aye kist And so licourousâ—y lad him up and doun Till that he dead was ere that he wist * Not onely that this world had of him awe For lesing of richesse and liberte But he made euery man renie his lawe Nabuchodonosor was lord saied he None other God should honoured be Ayenst his hest there dare no wight trespace Saue in Bethulia a strong cite Where Eliachem was priest of that place But take keepe of the
sworne of yore To his Crowne justly him restore And when they were at large out of the toun Vnto Arge they be descended doun And like her oth and her assurance As they were bound only of ligeance To him they come in full lowly wise Lowly to done what him list deuise And when he had her trouth full conceiued He hath to grace goodly hem receiued Assigning hem her place amid the hoast Assembled there from many a diuerse coast That finally in this company Ygadred was the floure of Cheualry Ychosen out of all Greekes lond The most knightly and manfull of her hond That as I trow sith the world began There was not seene so many a manly man So we le horsed with spere and with shield Togider sembled soothly in a field There men might see many strange guises Of arming new and vncouth deuises Euery man after his fantasie That if I should in order specifie Euery peece longing to armure And thereupon doe my busie cure It were in sooth almost a dayes werke And the tearmes also been so derke To rehearse hem clearely and to rime I passe ouer for lacke of time And tell I will forth of her lodging How Adrastus the noble worthy king Hath euery lord like to his degree Receiued wele within the citee And there they had like to her pleasaunce Of what needeth fulsome habundance For men and horse plenty of vitaile Commaunding that nothing ne faile That all these noble worthy werriours Both high and low and poore souldiours Yserued were of what they haue need For Adrastus presently tooke heed That it availeth a King to pay his People truely her fond Full lich a King touching her tearme day That they toforne were serued to her pay He was so free he list nothing restraine And no man had cause to complaine For hunger thrust ne for indigence But all thing ready was vnto her presence And in a Prince it is ful great repriefe To suffer his people liue at mischiefe It is ful heauy and greuous in her thought If he habound and they haue right nought He may not both possede body and hart He to be rich and seene his people smart He may the body of power wel constraine But her heart hath a full long raine Maugre his might to louen at her large * There may no King on hearts set a charge Ne hem coarten from her libertee Men saine ful often how that thought is free For which ech prince Lord and gouernour And specially ech conquerour Let him beware for all his high noblesse That bounty free dome plenty and largesse By one accord that they his bridle lede Least of his people when he hath most nede He be defrauded when he is but alone Then is too late for to make his mone But in his Court let him first deuise To exile Scarcehead and Couetise Then is likely with freedome if he ginne Loue of his people euermore to winne To reigne long in honour and contune Aye to encrease by fauour of Fortune And his enemies manly to oppresse * For loue is more than great richesse How love availeth more to a King than Gold or Riches Gold faileth oft but loue will abide For life or death by a lords side And the treasour shortly of a king Stondeth in loue aboue all thing Farewell lordship both morrow and eue Specially when loue taketh his leue And who so list it Mirrour for to make Of knightly freedome let him ensample take Of Adrastus the manly king famous So liberall and so bounteous Vnto his people at all times found Which made him strong his fomen to confound And loue only his enemies to werrey All Greece made his bidding to obey Of one accord to knightly by his side All at ones to Thebes for to ride For tauenge sith they were so strong The great injury and importable wrong Vnto his sonne and to his next allie As ye to forne haue heard me specifie But whiles Greekes rest a time in pees I will resort vnto Ethiocles Which in Thebes warely hath espied By his friends as he was certified Of the Greekes wholly the ordinaunce Her purpose eke and her purueyaunce And thereof had in heart a manner drede And first he tooke his counsaile and his rede How Ethiocles made him strong ayenst the coming of the Greeks Of the Lords and Barons of the toun And of the wisest of his regioun How he might maken resistence Manly to stonden at defence To be so strong that there were no dout And in the countries adjacent about And eke also in forreine regions He hath withhold all the champions And thereupon he sent out his espies And his friends and his next allies And all the worthy dwelling enuiroun Young fresh and lusty he gadred to the toun Maskewed his wals and his toures And stuffed hem with manly souldeours Round about he set many gonnes Great and small and some large as tonnes In his hasty passing feruent heat He spent his treasour and yaue yefts great Vnto knights and worthy men of name * And euermore to encrease his fame He yaue to lords jewels manyfold Clothes of Veluet Damaske and of gold To get him hearts soothly as I rede To helpe him now in his great nede And prudently purueyed him toforne Of flesh of fish of wine and of corne Set his Captaines early and late With full great stuff stonding at euery gate And made also by werkemen that were trew Barbicans and Bulwerkes strong and new Barreres cheines ditches wonder deepe Making his auow the city for to keepe While he liueth despite of all his fone And by his gods of mettall and of stone Full oft he swore both of hert and thought That it shall first full deare ben ybought And many a man with polax swerd knife Before this towne shall first lese his life And there shall eke many sides blede Ere that his brother possibly possede The toun in pees like as Greekes wene But at end the trouth it shall be sene Let him beware and we le toforne prouide For Adrastus on that other side For his party was not negligent But on a day held his parlement All his lords sitting enuiron To driue shorteley a pleine conclusion And vp tapoint the fine of her entent But some thought it full expedient Ere they procede to werke by thauise Of one that was full prudent and wise And circumspect in his werkes all A worthy Bishop into age fall And called was soothly by his name Amphiorax of whom the great fame How the Bishop Amphiorax was sent for to come unto the Greeks Throgh all the lands both East and South Among the Greekes passingly was couth A man in sooth of old antiquity And most accept of authority First by reason of his high estate And eke he was so fortunate And in his werkes was also secre With the gods knowing her priuite By graunt of whom as bookes specifie He had a spirit of trew prophecie And
coud aforne full openly diuine Things begon how they should fine And eke by craft of calculation Yeue a doome of euery question And had in Magike great experience And find coud by heauenly influence And by meuing of the high sterres A finall doome of conteke and of werres The Prophecy of Amphiorax the Bishop And wist well as his gods told That if Greekes forth her journey hold It tourne shall platly this is no fage To great mischeefe and great damage Of hem echone and in especiall The most blood right of the blood royall Through all Greece it may not be withdraw In this voyage shortly shall be slaw And of him why the Greekes wente Who that euer wept him or bemente This is the fine and may not be succoured Of the earth he should be deuoured Quicke as he was he knew it in certaine And for he saw there nas none other gaine To saue his life nor no bette defence Than vtterly to withdraw his presence Praying his wife for him to prouide If he were sought that she should him hide And womanly for to keepe him close And of trouth conceiling his purpose For all his trust touching his greuaunce Was full set in her purueyaunce I hope to God that he there not drede Of no deceit in her womanhede She was so true as women been echone And also close and muet as a stone That she ne would as the mill stood Discuren him for no worlds good But finally the Greekes of entent In all his drede haue for this Bishop sent How the Wife of Amphiorax of conscience to save her Oath discured her Husband And soughten so long ere they might him find For cause his wife was to him so kind That so surely hath locked vp his corps But for she had a manner remors In her selfe greuing her conscience Dreding to fall in great offence Least her soule were in perill lorne When she by oth compelled was and sworne They requiring if she coud tell Where her lord the Bishop should dwell Which to discure her heart was full loth Till time she gan remember on her oth And coud a trouth of custome not denie And had also great conscience to lie Wonder heauy with a sorrifull face Maugre her lust taught hem to the place Where as he was shitte vp in a toure All alone hauing no succour They fell on him ere that he was ware And set him vp in a full rich chare * A foole he was to jeoparde his life For to discure his counsaile to his wife And yet she was full sorry for his sake And specially when she saw him take * But I hope that her heauinesse Gan tassuage full soone by processe In short time when that he was gone * There is no tempest may lest euer in one But this Bishop by very force and might Vnto Greekes conueyed was full right This hore grey in his chaire sitting And they full glad weren of his comming Hauing a trist and full opinion Through the cause and occasion Of his wisdome and his sapience And by vertue of his high prescience They should eschue all aduersity Possible to fall as in her journy And as the story fully hath deuised Full circumspect and right wele auised He hath pronounced in the parlement Tofore the Lords and the President His cleare conceit in very sikernesse Not entriked with no doublenesse Her dismall dayes and her fatall houres Her auentures and her sharpe shoures The froward sort and vnhappy stounds The complaint of her deadly wounds The wofull wrath and the contrariosty Of fell Mars and his cruelty And how by meane of his grey mood There shall be shed all the worthy blood Of the Greekes it may not been eschued If her purpose be execute and sued There is no more this shall be the fine The high noblesse shall draw to decline Of Grekes blood in mischeefe sorrow wo And with all this I my selfe also As my fate hath before disposed Deepe in the ground I shall be enclosed And locked vp in the derke vale Of cruell death lo this was the tale That the Bishop to Adrastus told Him counsailing his purpose to withhold In escheuing of more mischeefe and sorrow For all his gods he tooke to borrow If the Thebans and the Greekes meet The fine thereof shall be so vnsweet That all Greece after shall it rew Warning hem if they the mischeefe knew That shall follow which no man may lette They would abstaine a siege for to sette Vnto Thebes and her purpose leue With whose words yâ— lords gan hem greue And therein had but full small delite And euerich of heartely high despite They abreide and seâ—d he was vntrew And a contreuer of prophecies new And eke also for all his long berd An old dotard a coward and aferd And of rancour gonne to defie Both his calcling and his Astronomie And shortely said they took therof none hede Ne will no thing gouerne hem by his rede This was the clamour noise in euery coast Of high and low throughout all the hoast And specially of the poore souldiours And of lordes reigning in her flours And of the estates effectuelly I mene Which of age were but tender and grene That haue not had of Marces influence Of the werre great experience * Here if ye list ye may consider and see Of coueiting great aduersitee How that youth no perill cast aforne Till he in mischeefe suddainly be lorne There as age prouideth euery thing Ere he begin to casten the ending How Age and Youth been of diverse Opinions * Youth is gouerned by a large reine To stert forth and can him not refreine But of head set on all at ones As he that hurteleth ayenst hard stones Broseth himselfe and vnwarely perbraketh But Age expert nothing vndertaketh But he toforne by good discretion Make a due examination How it will tourne either to bad or good But youth as fast as stirred is the blood Taketh emprises of hasty wilfulnesse Ioy at ginning the end is wretchednesse The old prudent in all his gouernaunce Full long aforne maketh purueyaunce But youth alas by counseil will not werke For which full oft he stumbleth in the derke Thus selde is seene the trouth to termine That age and youth draw by o line And where that folly hath domination Wisdome is put in subjection How that Wisdom without Supportation availeth little or nought Like as this bishop with al his high prudence For cause he might haue none audience All his wisedome and his prophecy Of the Greekes was holden but folly For though Plato and wise Socrates Morall Seneke and Diogenes Albumaser and prudent Theolonee And Tullius that had soueraintee Whylome in Rome as of eloquence Though all these shortly in sentence Were aliue most cunning and expert And no man list her counsaile to aduert Nor of her sawes for to taken heed What might auaile and it come to need * For where as prudence can find no succour And